PSPB juggernaut rolls on: enter quarterfinals with thumping wins

Jaipur, Feb 22 (UNI) Seasoned campaigners Sarath Kamal and Poulomi Ghatak overcame some resistance by their opponents as defending champions Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) sailed into the quarterfinals of both men's and women's team event at 67th Senior National and Inter State Table Tennis Championships here today.

Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra A, Delhi, West Bengal, RSPB and Tamil Nadu also booked their berth in the quarterfinals in the men's event while in the women's team event, Maharashtra A, Andhra Pradesh, Maharasthra B, Assam, North Bengal and hosts Rajasthan join PSPB in the last eight.

In the pre quarterfinals matches today, PSPB were pitted against a gutsy North Bengal however, the holders went out on top with a facile 3-0 win.

Top paddler Sarath Kamal surprisingly had to work harder than usual before fending off a challenge from D Ghosh. After winning first two games 11-5, 11-8, Kamal was caught off the guard by Ghosh who won the third 11-9. However, seasoned Kamal won the next to put his side ahead.

With S Saha and Soumyadeep Roy won their ties without hiccups to put their side into the quarterfinals.

Meanwhile in other matches, West Bengal staved off a challenge from Maharstra B 3-1 whereas Maharasthra A drubbed UP 3-0 to advance into the next round.

Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) and Tamil Nadu also faced some stiff resistance before winning with an identical scoreline of 3-1 against Karnataka and Punjab respectively.

In the women's event as well, the ride was smooth for PSPB and the defending champions had little difficulty in beating Delhi 3-0 to make it to the round of eight.

Poulomi Ghatak looked a bit rusty in her morning session pre-quarterfinal match and soon found her trailing by losing the first game 4-11. The ace paddler hit back with vengence and won next three games 11-7, 11-4 and 11-8. Her teammates were even more ruthless and won their matches convincingly.

Results (pre-quarterfinals): Women: 1. PSPB bt Delhi 3-0 (P Ghatak bt Neha Agarwal 4-11,11-7,11-4,11-8; Mantu Ghosh bt Esha Monga 11-7,11-7,11-9; Bisakha Bijoy bt V Malini 11-1,11-1,11-5.) 2. Maharashtra A bt Tamil Nadu 3-0; 3. Andhra Pradesh beat Kerala 3-2; 4. Maharashtra B beat Pondechery 3-0; 5.

Assam beat Orissa 3-1; 6. North Bengal bt Chandigarh 3-0; 7.

Rajasthan bt Punjab 3-1; 8. West Bengal Bt Banks Sports Board 3-0; Men: 1. PSPB bt North Bengal 3-0; 2. West Bengal Bt Maharstra B 3-1; 3.

Maharashtra A bt U P 3-0; 4. Tamil Nadu bt Punjab 3-1; 5. Rajasthan bt Kerala 3-0; 6. Gujarat bt Chandigarh 3-0; 7. Delhi bt Andhra Pradesh 3-0; 8. Railway Sports Promotion Board beat Karnataka 3-1.

UNI XC DH SC RK1625