Bengal boys bounce back to beat PSPB 'A' in National sub-junior TT final

Kochi, December 10: Two new champions in North Bengal and Tamil Nadu surfaced at the end of the Cadet boys and girls finals but what took the cake was the steely resolve of West Bengal boys in the sub-junior section, who came back every time they were behind to outlast PSPB-A 3-2 in a gripping final of the New India Assurance 73^rdCadet and Sub-Junior National Inter-State Table Tennis championships at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium here today.

The final that went to the wire consumed three full hours and Anirban Ghosh being the star performer for West Bengal as he ensured at least they take home the boys title. West Bengal, however, lost their Cadet boys title and so did Andhra Pradesh girls in Cadet section. However, Andhra retained the sub-junior girls’ title, beating West Bengal 3-0.

Anirban, in fact, kept West Bengal in the match by beating Birdie Boro 11-9, 3-11, 14-12, 11-6 in the first singles after Arjun had lost his singles to Lalrin Puia in five games. The doubles was easily taken by Lalhun Lua and Raja Kundu to put PSPB ahead. But Anirban, yet again, ensured with excellent attacking game and mostly wearing out his opponent Puia in five captivating games to win 10-12, 9-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-9. His come-from-behind fourth rubber infused fresh life into West Bengal as Arjun capitalized on it to beat Boro, again in five games of fluctuating fortunes.

In Cadet boys’ section, North Bengal had little answer from West Bengal as ZK Gogoi, Akash Nath took their singles rather easily before the two North Bengal paddlers combined well to defeat the West Bengal pair of Jeetchandra and Debomitra Chakraborth in five games of 11-8, 9-11, 11-3, 7-11, 11-5. If West Bengal had taken the doubles, they could have looked forward to some kind of a fight in reverse singles. But it was not to be.

Earlier, West Bengal boys were stretched the full distance by Gujarat who had a good chance of making it to the finals until some avoidable errors on the part of Nilay Thakkar saw Demomitra stage a comeback to hold on. North Bengal easily defeated Andhra boys as the score-line suggests.

In Cadet girls, Tamil Nadu played a waiting game for most part to outwit West Bengal. Selena Deepthi and Yashini played their heart out while the latter really stood out with her calm and composed game. Perhaps this style did not suit the generally attacking Bengal girls and yet they never gave up until the last point. Earlier, Tamil Nadu simply outplayed last year’s winners Andhra in the semifinals.

The Results:

SUB JUNIOR BOYS (Final): West Bengal bt PSPB-A 3-2 (Arjun Ghosh lost to Lalrin Puia 9-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-5, 7-11; Anirban Ghosh bt Birdie Boro 11-9, 3-11, 14-12, 11-6; Arjun/Anirban lost to Lalhun Lua/Raja Kundu 9-11, 8-11, 4-11; Anirban Ghosh bt Lalrin Puia 10-12, 9-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-9; Arjun Ghosh bt Birdie Boro 2-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-9.Semi-finals: West Bengal bt Maharashtra 3-0 (Anirban Ghosh bt Siddhesh Pande 11-5, 11-7, 11-9; Arjun ghosh bt Kalpak Bansod 11-8, 3-11, 12-10, 11-2; Arjun/Anirban bt Siddhesh/Kalpak 9-11, 5-11, 11-9, 11-9 , 11-9; PSPBA bt Delhi 3-0 (Birdie Boro bt Shiven Banga 11-8, 11-7, 11-3; Lalrin Puia bt chirag Kapoor 11-4, 11-7, 11-9; Birdie/Lalrin bt Shiven/Chirag 11-4, 13-11, 11-9.

SUB JUNIOR GIRLS (Final): Andhra Pradesh bt West Bengal 3-0 (Naina bt Moumita Dutta 11-4, 11-5, 11-5; Sreeja A bt Johita Banerjee 11-7, 14-12, 11-6; Naina/Sreeja bt Moumita/Johita 11-6, 11-5, 8-11, 11-6. Semi-finals: Andhra Pradesh bt Delhi 3-0 (Naina bt Harsh Kalra 11-8, 11-8, 11-5; Sreeja A bt Srishti gupta 11-9, 11-5, 11-9; Naina/Sreeja bt Aanchal/Shrishti 11-9, 11-8, 11-7; West Bengal bt Maharashtra 3-2 (Moumi Dutta bt Ashlesha Trehan 11-9, 13-11, 12-10; Johita Banerjee lost to Shruti Amrute 7-11, 11-6, 5-11, 7-11; Johita/Koushani nath bt shruti/Mansi 12-10, 11-9, 7-11, 11-5; Johita lost to Ahlesha Trehan 12-10, 11-7, 7-11,3-11,3-11;Moumita Dutta bt Shruti Amrute 11-9, 11-9, 11-3.

CADET BOYS (Final): North Bengal bt West Bengal 3-0 (Gogoi Z K bt Jeet Chandra 9-11, 11-6, 11-9, 6-11, 11-7; Akash Nath bt Debomitra Chakraborty 11-8, 9-11, 11-3, 7-11, 11-5; Gogoi/Akashnath bt Jeetchandra/Debomitra 11-5, 9-11, 11-4, 9-11, 11-9. Semi-finals: West Bengal bt Gujarat 3-2 (Jeet Chandra bt Nilay Thakkar 11-4, 11-5, 11-7; Debomitra Chakraborty lost to Manav Thakkar 11-13, 4-11, 2-11; Jeet Chandra/Debomitra bt Nilay/Manav 4-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-8; Jeet Chandra lost to Manav Thakkar 13-11, 11-13, 8-11, 4-11; Debomita Chakraborty bt Nilay Thakkar 11-7, 9-11, 11-7, 5-11, 11-8; North Bengal bt Andhra Pradesh 3-0 (Gogoi Z K bt SFR Snehit 11-6, 11-7, 11-5; Akashnath bt Sai Tejesh 14-12, 12-10, 11-9; Gogoi/Akashnath bt Sai Tejesh/SFR Snehit 11-8, 11-9, 11-7.

CADET GIRLS: (Final): Tamil Nadu bt West Bengal 3-2 (Yashini S bt Moumita Dutta 11-1, 11-5, 11-13, 11-3; Selena Deepthi S bt Koushani Nath 11-9, 11-7, 11-8; Selena/Yashini lost to Koushani/Moumita 6-11, 3-11, 11-8, 7-11; Selena Deepthi lost to Moumita Dutta 8-11, 5-11, 5-11; Yashini bt Koushani Nath 11-4, 16-14, 9-11, 11-8.

Semi-finals: Tamil Nadu bt Andhra Pradesh 3-0 (Selena Deepthi S bt Naga Sravani 11-5, 9-11, 11-7, 11-9; Yashini S bt Varuni Jaiswal 11-1,11-5, 11-8; Selena/Yashini bt Varuni/Nagasravani 11-8, 11-5, 9-11, 11-5; West Bengal bt Delhi 3-0 (Koushaninath bt Ishita Gupta 11-13, 11-5, 4-11, 13-11, 11-7; Mouita dutta bt Vanshika Sachar 11-2, 11-7, 11-5; Koushani/Moumita bt Anishall Dhall/Ishita Gupta 10-12, 13-11, 11-4, 11-9.

TTFI press release