Times of India: MHA planning a leaner league

By Dhananjay Roy

MUMBAI: The Mumbai Hockey Association (MHA) has decided to trim the number of divisions across which it holds its annual leagues. There were six divisions including the Super Division (seven teams), Senior Division (six teams), 1st Division (eight teams), 2nd Division (six teams), 3rd Division (eight teams) and the 4th Division (27 teams divided into four pools) in the 2016-17 season.

However, the 2017-2018 season will not have teams competing in the third and fourth divisions as they will be merged with the second division. According to the number of entries received, these teams will be divided into various pools.

“We have decided to reduce the number of divisions mainly for three reasons,” Ram Singh Rathor, secretary of the MHA, said on Wednesday.

“We are aiming to conduct all the league games from October 1 and finish them by 31st March next year. This will help reduce the pressure on the turf,” he explained. The previous league season started in October 2016 and concluded in August this year.

“Also, this will help teams get value for money. There are many times when a player who has been contracted by one team is not able to honour his contract fully because the league stretches on. He leaves midway and goes on to represent other teams elsewhere because of the break that our leagues were witnessing. If it is shorter, teams will know exactly how long they want a player to stay with them,” added Rathor.

“The third reason is if the leagues end by March, we will have a big enough window to revive some of our knock-out tournaments (including SD Bhiwandiwala & Dr Joseph Fernandes) that were discontinued owing to lack of dates.”

Indian Oil, SCR win

Indian Oil, Mumbai and South Central Railway, Secunderabad (SCR), recorded their second successive wins and are virtually through to the semifinals of the 13th Guru Tegh Bahadur Gold Cup All India hockey tournament.