15 teams in BSNL hockey

Bangalore, Jan 6 (UNI) Fifteen teams will vie for top honours in the fifth All India BSNL Hockey Tournament, beginning here on January eight.

The teams have been split into four groups in the league-cum- knockout championship on the basis of their performance in the previous event held in Ranchi.

The matches would be played on the astroturf ground of the Karnataka State Hockey Association. The tournament would be governed by the rules laid down by the Indian Hockey Federation, Karnataka Circle Chief General Manager T S Kuppuswamy told newspersons here today.

Hosts Karnataka had been the winners in the last four editions, with Jharkhand being the runner up in the last event.

Following are the groupings: Group A: Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand Group B: Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, MTNL-Delhi, NTR Delhi Group C: Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu Group D: UP (East), West Bengal, Karnataka.

The finals would be played on January 13.

UNI