News for 21 January 2009
Wednesday, 21 January 2009 10:14 | 
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All the news for Wednesday 21 January 2009
Netherlands spoil Charlesworth's Kookaburra coaching debut
The Netherlands have gained some revenge from the Beijing Olympics and spoiled Ric Charlesworth's debut as Kookaburras coach, defeating the Kookaburras 4-2 tonight in Busselton ,WA.
Although the Kookaburras defeated the Netherlands 6-2 in the Bronze Medal match of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the tables were turned during the first game of the 2009 Summer Series.
The first half began as a fairly even affair, with both teams controlling their share of the ball throughout the midfield. Debutant goalkeeper Ross Meadows had a baptism of fire in the opening minutes, but produced an impressive save from a penalty corner at the nine minute mark.
The Kookaburras began to work their way on top throughout the first half, with Eli Matheson threatening the goals after a strong delivery from Des Abbott to no avail.
The Kookaburras defence looked settled with the likes of Luke Doerner and Mark Knowles filling key positions following the retirements to Bevan George and Matthew Wells.
However when Luke Doerner was forced to leave the pitch due to injury the Dutch pounced, with three time world player of the year Teun de Nooijer scoring in the 30th minute.
When the Netherlands scored again only minutes later they were well on top, and although Grant Schubert remained a target up forward for the Kookaburras, they entered the half time break scoreless, while allowing another Dutch goal at the 35th minute.
The Kookaburras return to the pitch a more determined team after half time, with Des Abbott becoming increasingly dangerous up forward.
Abbott eventually put the Kookaburras on the scoreboard in the 48th minute following a strong pass from the midfield.
When Eddie Ockenden drew a penalty stroke following some strong skill work in the circle, midfielder Rob Hammond converted the crucial goal, bringing the Kookaburras back in the game.
When Jeroen Hertzberger scored in the 61st minute the task loomed ominous for the Kookaburras, with coach Ric Charlesworth ruing his teams' disappointing end of the first half where the Dutch scored three unanswered goals.
"In the end it was five minutes of madness that cost us and we paid the price for it. No one really played to their full capacity and there is room for improvement, but that is something I understand", said Charlesworth.
Netherlands 4 Kookaburra 2 (3-0 half time)
Goals - Ned De Nooijer 30m FG, Ned Hofman 32m FG, Ned Hoyng 35m FG, Aus Abbott 48m FG, Aus Hammond 59m PS, Ned Hertzberger 61m FG
Hockey Australia media release
National Hockey C’ship starts today
From our correspondent
LAHORE: The 56th National Hockey Championship will begin from today (Wednesday) here at the National Hockey Stadium.
Organising Secretary of championship Rana Mujahid Ali, Advisor to President The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) had invited 23 teams to take part in the championship but only 19 teams confirmed their participation. Customs, POF Wah, HEC and ABL are not sending their teams.
The teams are divided into five pools. Pool A comprises PIA, Sui Gas, Balochistan and PTV. Pool B has NBP, NWFP, KESC and Railways. Army, HBL and PAF are in Pool C. Pool D comprises WAPDA, Steel Mills, Sindh and Navy. Police, Port Qasim, Punjab and Capital Territory are in pool E.
Eight matches will be played daily on both pitches of the National Hockey Stadium. The 19 teams will play the preliminary round on a single league basis. The top ten teams will qualify for the final round, while rest of the nine teams will play the tray championship simultaneously.
Two top teams of tray championship will qualify directly for the final round of the next championship.
In conjunction with the National Championship, a High Performance Coaching Course will also take place from January 25. National level coaches will attend this course. Another course will take place from February 3.
Today’s matches: Balochistan v PTV. KESC vs Navy. Army v HBL. Sindh v Navy. Police v Punjab. Port Qasim v Capital Territory. PIA v Sui Gas. NBP v NWFP.
The News International
PHA names 21-member squad
Staff Report
LAHORE: The Punjab Hockey Association (PHA) on Tuesday announced a 21-member Punjab team that will participate in the 56th National Hockey Championship starting here on Wednesday (today). Mian Zafar has been named coach of the team.
Punjab squad:
Goal-keepers: Waqas Liaqat (Lahore), Mazhar Abbas (TT Singh). Full-backs: Rana Akmal (Multan), Hassan Adnan Haider (Sargodha), Imtiaz panu (Sheikhupura), Muhammad Jamil (Faisalabad). Half-backs: Muhammad Saqlain (Lahore), Abubakar (Sargodha), Ali Raza (Sahiwal), Najam Javed (Sialkot), Hassan Rasheed (Lahore), Rashid (Lahore). Forwards: Rizwan Butt (Lahore), Muazzam Ali (Faisalabad), Wajid Ali (Lahore), Nisar Aslam (Burewala), Abdullah Babar (Gojra), Asif Aslam (Rahim Yar Khan), Tanvir Ahmad (Jhang), Amjad (Gujranwala), Rana Shahzad (Multan). Stand-byes: Shakeel Ahmad (Faisalabad), Adeel Al Khairi (Sahiwal), Abdul Razzaq (Okara), Hafiz Zohaib (DG Khan).
The Daily Times
‘We conceded too many soft goals’
NEW DELHI: The coach of the Indian junior hockey team, Ajay Kumar Bansal, thinks his side’s habit of conceding soft goals dampened its performance in the recently concluded Australian Youth Olympic Festival 2009 in Sydney.
Bansal’s boys returned with a silver medal from the four-nation event after losing 1-2 to host Australia in the final. The coach feels the team could have fared better.
“We played well throughout the tournament. Even in the final we dominated for 80 per cent of the time. But we gave away too many soft goals,” Bansal told The Hindu after landing here from Sydney early on Tuesday morning.
Pulsating final
According to Bansal, the title clash was a pulsating one and the Australian goalkeeper Garner Scott prevented India from walking away with the top honour. “The final was between India and the Australian goalie. He was too good and stopped so many attempts,” he said.
“We beat them 2-1 in the round-robin stage. And the margin in the final was not a big one. But the golden goal should not have happened.
“That was an excellent goal off a midfield lapse. It stunned everybody including the Aussies,” Bansal said.
The coach felt that the 5-5 draw against Malaysia in the round-robin stage was not a pleasant result either.
“After two wins (including the 6-1 victory against Great Britain), we had qualified for the final. So we planned to rest some of our key players like Diwakar Ram, Pramod Kumar and Mandeep Antil.
“The boys relaxed a bit which allowed the Malaysians to pump in five goals. Later, fielding Diwakar saved us from humiliation,” Bansal said.
Build-up phase
Bansal said in future he would caution the players against conceding soft goals. “This is the build-up phase before the Junior World Cup in June. So we have enough time to rectify our mistakes.”
The players will take a break before re-assembling in mid-February for a camp.
National championship
Meanwhile, the National hockey championship will be held at Pune from March 2 to 15, the ad hoc committee of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) announced here on Tuesday after sorting out the differences among some key members of the panel.
The Hindu
National championship in March
NEW DELHI: The National hockey championship will be held at Pune from March 2 to 15, the ad hoc committee of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) announced here on Tuesday after sorting out the differences among some key members of the panel.
The ad hoc committee was troubled by the cold war between its convenor Mohammad Aslam and a member Randhir Singh, also the IOA Secretary General, which ended up in the latter’s resignation.
Besides, the selectors’ complaint that they were being overlooked had made matters worse for the IOA, which had suspended the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) nine months ago. After a meeting of the ad hoc committee and the selection committee on Tuesday, the IOA sought to play down the sour episode.
“There was no rift in the ad hoc committee. I am handling the committee and wanted Randhir to handle other affairs. There is no infighting,” said IOA President Suresh Kalmadi.
Randhir admitted that issues had been sorted out. “Certain issues were raised at the meeting and a lot of positives emerged. The scope of the technical committee has been extended as two new members – Olympians Pargat Singh and Jagbir Singh – have been added to it,” he said.
The Hindu
CMP rallies to beat ITI
BANGALORE: Corps of Military Police (CMP) struck two late goals beat ITI 3-2 in the State ‘A’ division hockey league match at the KSHA stadium here on Tuesday.
The Military police led by a Manok Tirkey goal in the 13th minute but Vinobha (26th) and Sendhil struck for ITI. However, Sunil Mina and Manoj Tiwary scored to clinch full points for CMP.
SAI, thanks to a brace of penalty corner goals by Darshan, edged out South Western Railway (SWR), Hubli 2-1. While Darshan scored in the fifth and 26th minutes Kiran pulled one back for the Humbli side in the 44th.
Earlier, Maratha Light Infantry (MLI) trounced RBI 5-0 with Kalyan Benura (2), Romi Ekka, Ajay Cakda and Sunil Kumar getting the goals.
The Hindu