LAHORE – Guard Rice-Diamond Paints clinched the Nurpur Polo Cup here at the Aibak ground of the Lahore Polo Club on Sunday. Hissam Ali Hyder-led Guard Rice and Diamond Paints prevailed over their rivals to win the title by eight goals to six-and-a-half.
Hissam in the presence of Argentinean Ambassador Rodolfo Martin Saravia, gave more than an impressive show to win the tournament. Taimur Ali Malik with his two and Raja Samiullah with one goal took their team to victory. And later the chief guest His Excellency Rodolfo Martin Saravia presented the trophy to them.
Hissam began the match with his solo effort but LaPlacette with his two back to back goals showed that it wasn’t plain sailing for him. By the close of opening chukker, Bank Alfalah were well-placed 2-1. However, it was Taimur’s under-the-belly shot which leveled the score and Hissam made it 3-2 with the support of Tainur.
Afterwards he extended the lead with a 60-yard lofted shot. But LaPlacette reduced the tally to 4-3. and just before the chukker hooter, Hissam responded with vigour to get the score to 5-3. When Naved M Sheikh responded to LaPlacette’s pass right in front of the goal mouth, Raja Samiullah came into action to keep the margin of lead intact through Hissam’s pass to make it 6-4 and the bankers’ half-a-goal advantage though reduced the margin but could not prevent the defeat.
The final chukker brought two goals each from both the sides. As Waseem Sial got a long-chase goal for the bankers, Hissam did the same to complete the five-goals tally. Earlier in the day, FWOn hit nine goals and allowed PIA/SHV Energy six goals. Maunal Crespo starred in FWO’s win. He not only banged in six goals but also kept Maj Gen Isfandiyar Pataudi, Lt Asif Manzoor and Ahmed Zubair on their toes to get one goal each in the win.
On the other hand the losing side got their goals through Shiraz Qureshi, Raja Temur Nadeem, Jamey Le Hardy and Ahmed Ali Tiwana. Hassan Ali Farrukh and Vierri Antinori were the umpires of the subsidiary match while Jamey Le Hardy and Azhar Ali manned the main final.
