Mumbai : MIG CC (Bandra) and NSCI (Worli) were crowned Division I and Division II champions after they recorded identical 3-2 but contrasting wins over their respective rivals in the final of the inaugural Club Badminton Championship League, In Division I finals, fortunes swayed from one tie to another before MIG’s younger and fitter duo in the end got the better of seasoned stalwarts of the Chembur Gymkhana outfit to the joy of their vociferous supporters.
However, the Division II final, which initially looked like going MCF (Borivali) way, was turned upside down because of an umpiring blunder when they were on the verge of wrapping up the tie, which deprived the Borivali team of a sure title.
They had won the first men’s doubles and followed it by winning the junior doubles ties against the hosts NSCI with consummate ease. Even in the following the third tie – mixed doubles- they were well on course as lefthander Sushant Niddoli well-supported by Rhea Rocque raced to 2-0 lead.
Somehow though they were leading in the third game, they fumbled repeatedly to let the NSCI pair of Nikhil Mansukhani and Ahilya Harjani take the tie to the wire. Even in the decider the MCF pair was on match point. But as Nikhil returned Rhea’s service, Sushant played flat cross court stroke, which just kissed the sideline, but the umpire ruled the point in favour of the NSCI pair despite loud protest from those sitting on the sidelines. And this not gave NSCI a lifeline, but they went on to win both the next two matches as the MCF pairs thereafterwent down meekly.
