Cheetahs keep hopes alive

Sandip G

CHENNAI: Bearing in mind that Chennai Cheetahs had stuttered in four of their six home matches, the weight of history and logic was against them versus the Delhi Wizards at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium. Here, for last, they couldn’t do with a similarly compromising performance, and confronted by a must-win context, they made a stunning heist to overcome Wizards 6-4.

Thus they extended their semifinal lifeline in the World Series Hockey. Similarly plighted as both sides were to guarantee progress, it was about surviving instincts, which the Cheetahs exhibited truckloads after half-time. It seemed over for the Cheetahs after Vikramjeet Singh converted his third penalty corner to give them a two-goal cushion. But Cheetahs, with a perceptible desperation riposted through Imran Warsi, who materialised two of the five short-corners they were afforded with.

Suddenly, a streak of belief replaced the bundle of nerves, as they thrust forth in waves, creating chance after chance. The defence, their perennial weakling among many, resolutely stood fort. Apart from nipping their advances, they deprived them of four penalty corners. Vikram Pillay, with his baseball-like head-gear on, heftily blocked Vikramjeet. And when all goes well, so does luck, as when Vikramjeet’s attempt cannoned onto the cross bar. Three other short-corners were thus deflected off its goal-bound trajectory by there wiry defence.

Buoyed, they counter-attacked with a hitherto unseen vibrancy. The under-performing Aussie, Harris, laid off Adam Sinclair, who unfailingly latched onto the chance in the 64th minute. Two more goals were buckled in the space of two minutes, courtesy Vikram Pillay and Adam Sinclair, to complete the unlikeliest of comebacks.

Though Vikramjeet slashed the deficit in the 68th minute — his fourth in the match — Cheetahs were in no obligatory mood. On hindsight, Wizards had to blame their overtly defensive game-plan. Their defence, efficient and clean in the first half couldn’t withstand the pressure after Cheetahs overturned their lead. Even the reliable Dutch full-back, who had an exceptional first half, frayed nerves. His lofted stick resulted in the penalty corner, which Warsi powered in to restore parity.

Lest Cheetahs slip up against Mumbai Marines, the bottom-rung team, the semifinal spot is theirs for taking.

Comets In Last 4

Chandigarh: A last-minute goal by Robert Green helped local favourites Chandigarh Comets beat struggling Mumbai Marines 4-3 and assure themselves a semifinal berth here on Wednesday.

Locked at 3-3 and with barely couple of minutes remaining, Comets led by Pakistani international Rehan Butt earned their sixth penalty corner. However, failing to convert it, luck still smiled on the Comets as the ball had not been cleared by the Marines defenders and Green made good use of the opportunity to seal the issue in his team’s favour.

Result: Chennai Cheetahs 6 (V Raja 19, Imran Warsi, 46, 51, Adam Sinclair 64, 67 Vikram Pillay 65) bt Delhi Wizards 4 (Vikramjeet Singh 11, 27, 39, 68); Chandigarh Comets 4 (R Singh 4, G Singh, Mohd A Khan 32, Robert Green 68) bt Mumbai Marines 3 (X Banmali 34, T Sutherland 50, A Singh 55.