Biggies 'fight' to a draw

Mohammedan and Abahani players are all 'up in sticks' as they charge Indian umpire Milind during their ill-tempered encounter at the Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium yesterday.Photo: STAR

Title contenders Mohammedan SC were held to a 1-1 draw by joint-champions Abahani in their crucial Super League match of the Green Delta Insurance Premier Division Hockey League Super at the Maulana Bhasani Stadium yesterday.
This was the first time in the league that Mohammedan dropped points in their after posting 12 straight victories. However, with a game in hand, Mohammedan 37 points from 13 matches) still have four-point lead over second-placed Usha and a nine-point lead over third-placed Abahani. Usha and Abahani, though, played a match each less.
However, the highlights of yesterday's game between the two perennial foes were poor umpiring, unsportsmanlike attitude of the players and the reluctance of officials which kept the game halted for 55 minutes -- 25 minutes in the first half and 30 minutes in the second - following two decision by the Indian umpires. The first meeting between the two clubs was also suspended for 22 meetings for the same reason.
The game got underway smoothly as both sides put on attacking display with Mohammedan looking to get close to the title while Abahani's bid was to return to the title race with a victory after their, 4-3 defeat reversal in the first leg.
Mohammedan played comparatively better and applied pressure before going ahead in the seventh minute when Rasel Mahmud Jimmy pushed in a cut-back from Istiaque Ahmed before Pushkor Khisha Mimo cancelled the lead
Everything looked fine till 26th minute when both sides refrained from playing following a revised decision by umpire Thambu Raj, who was pushed by both Mohammedan and Abahani players. The umpire, though, did not take any action and both teams agreed to resume after 25 minutes.
The game again was halted six minutes into the second half and this time umpire Milind came under fire from Mohammedan players when Abahani's Pakistani player Mohammad Modassar hit Mohammedan's Malaysian striker Tanku Ahmed Tajuddin on his sheen-guard.
Jimmy reacted angrily as he pushed the umpire arguing for a red card before goalkeeper Mahbubullah Shakil joined in and the situation worsened as the umpires delayed taking their decision.
Both umpires and members of technical committee were seen talking to both captains several times but failed in their effort and play remained suspended another 30 minutes.
The match was finally on again with Modassar and Shakil receiving yellow cards. Modassar however returned to action after but Shakil sat out the rest of the match as the 70-minute match took two hours and forty five minutes to finish.