The Hindu : Sport / Hockey : Pakistan escapes unscathed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 20, 2006

Sport

Sport - Hockey

Pakistan escapes unscathed

S. Thyagarajan

Melbourne : As Australia was waltzing its way into the semifinals, Pakistan survived a scare before netting the equaliser three minutes before time, from a penalty corner by Imran Warsi, against South Africa in a Pool B tie here on Sunday.

An inspired and ingenuous South Africa produced a classic display of aggressive defence and not all the craft and charm of Pakistan's stick-work and pace could disturb a defence admirably manned by veteran Ken Forbes and Paul Jody and supported well by Ross Innes. However, the hero of the contest was goalkeeper Chris Hibbert, whose work under the bar was spectacular by any account.

After a barren first half, South Africa surged ahead midway through when a flashy drive by Reece Beesson, who sidestepped Dilwar Husssain, soared to the roof of the net leaving Salman Akbar bewildered by the velocity and angle.

Pure struggle

Thereafter, it was pure struggle for Pakistan to get into the circle. It had four penalty corners but every effort was challenged except the equaliser. The outcome is a setback for Pakistan, which is now on par with South Africa and Malaysia (four points each).

On a somnolent Sunday, a goodly crowd, including the Prime Minister, John Howard, first savoured Australia's devouring of a hapless Nigerian 12-0 in the women's section and then saw the men's team, the Olympic and Commonwealth champion, overwhelm Canada 5-1.

Flaws in the system

Stunning as the defeat for India was on Saturday against Pakistan, it more than shattered the complacency generated after the second leg show in the recent series across the border. There is something fundamentally flawed in the system, whatever be the defence put up by the powers-that-be.

In the two matches played so far, there was nothing to suggest that the squad was balanced enough in all tiers to head towards a medal, leave alone a gold. The letdown has come mainly in the frontline by two key players Deepak Thakur and Tushar Khandekar. Hard work by the mid-field and deep defence has been good only up to a point.

The pressure of the type exerted by the Pakistanis in the second half blitzkrieg lasting about eight minutes laid the defence low. For all the athleticism to fend off flying balls, Chetri flirted with unimaginable risks.

So, a motley combination has caused the Indian team dear. Only an extraordinary effort of hammering combinations like Trinidad Tobago on Monday and South Africa can provide a glimmer of hope.

Unlucky position

The women are unlucky to be in a situation they find themselves in at this juncture because the quality displayed so far should have been good enough to see them in the semifinals.

They were at the receiving end in both their matches of umpiring indiscretions that are conveniently tucked into the oft-repeated cliché `part of the game'.

With both the Indian teams on a solitary point from two matches, neither is in an enviable position.

The results:

Women: Pool A: Australia 12 (Madonna Blyth, Angela Skirving, Nicole Arrold 2, Nikki Hudson 3, Emily Haliday, Wendy Beattie, Sarah Taylor, Karen Smith, Kate Hollywood) bt Nigeria 0; Pool B: New Zealand 3 (Krystal Forgesson, Marie Sharland, Elizabeth Igasan) bt Canada 0.

Men: Pool A: Australia 5 (Bevan George 2, Nathan Eglington, Mike McCann 2) bt Canada 1 (Paul Wettlaufer); Pool B: South Africa 1 (Reece Basson) drew with Pakistan 1 (Imran Warsi)

Monday's matches: Women: Malaysia v South Africa (3 a.m.), India v Nigeria (5 a.m.), England v Barbados (8 a.m.), Canada v Scotland (3 p.m.). Men: India v Trinidad and Tobago (10 a.m.), New Zealand v Scotland (11 a.m.)

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