News 04 February 2014
All the news for Tuesday 4 February 2014
Gutsy Investec SA women’s hockey team win series against Belgium
JONATHAN COOK in Cape Town
South Africa's (from right) Tarryn Bright, Shelley Russell and Bernie Coston celebrate captain Marsha Cox's (far left) goal during the sixth Test at Hartleyvale in Cape Town Monday night. Photo: GAVIN WITHERS (ACTION PIX)
The world number 11 Investec South Africa women’s hockey team won the six-Test series against world number 12 Belgium 2-1 after the final encounter was drawn 2-2 at Hartleyvale in Cape Town Monday night.
Anouk Raes got Belgium on the scoreboard first with a well-taken penalty corner in the sixth minute, while Kathleen Taylor (32nd) and captain Marsha Cox (35th) netted fine field goals for the girls in green and gold to lead 2-1 at half-time.
Six minutes from the end (64th) of an action-packed Test match Belgian captain Charlotte Vos equalised but SA had already done enough.
Going into the finalé of an exciting series, SA needed only draw to clinch the rubber while it was a must-win for Belgium - and the Europeans signalled their intent by forcing the first penalty corner in the sixth minute - Raes pulling the ball right of the defence to open the scoring.
In the 10th, Louise Versavel found space to win a second PC after SA keeper Phume Mbande’s initial save, but the variation went wide of the far post. Soon after, Sulette Damons could have made more of an opportunity.
The SA defenders did well to get their team out of trouble at times and in the 19th Lisa Deetlefs rifled a 30-metre diagonal pass from the left to striker Dirkie Chamberlain, whose full-stretch, diving deflection deserved more reward.
Stephanie van Borre had a great chance at the other end before Coetzee speared a perfectly-weighted through-ball for Lilian du Plessis to win SA’s first PC, which also failed to reap a dividend.
Galvanised by the crowd, Cox attacked the space before feeding Chamberlain, whose snap shot was superbly stopped, keeper Aisling D’Hooghe replicating the reflex save from a strong shot by Tarryn Bright off SA’s first PC soon after
Chamberlain – so strong on the ball - shrugged off intense Belgian attention in the 32nd minute to set up Taylor’s crisply-struck equaliser - and it might have been a brace for the double Olympian a minute later.
The home crowd forgot that disappointment in the dying seconds of the half when Cox netted a beautiful goal, cracking a rising shot into the far corner for SA to go 2-1.
Coetzee came close a couple of times after the changeover, while Bernie Coston was outstanding in relieving pressure through a determined back tackle.
In the 50th a low Coetzee drag-flick from SA’s fourth PC was stopped by the in-form D’Hooghe’s outstretched right leg - and excellent inter-play between Coetzee and Cox put Russell through, but the advancing keeper summed up the threat perfectly. Five minutes later Mbande did the same from Judith van der Meiren.
Belgium earned their third PC with 10 minutes left but Anne-Sophie de Scheemaekere’s powerful, low drag-flick whistled past the wrong side of the post. Soon after (64th) a well-struck cross evaded the SA defenders and Vos restored parity.
Deetlefs made a critical tackle near the end to avert further danger and SA had a Test series win safely tucked up.
SERIES RESULTS
1st Test: SA 6 Belgium 0; 2nd Test: SA 0 Belgium 2; 3rd Test: SA 2 Belgium 2; 4th Test SA 4 Belgium 0; 5th Test: SA 1 Belgium 1; 6th Test: SA 2 Belgium 2. SA win the series 2-1.
SA Hockey Association media release
Black Sticks off to Mt Maunganui for Summer Series
The Black Sticks Men are heading to Tauranga in March for a three test summer series against Japan as part of their build-up to the 2014 World Cup in May.
Following the team’s silver medal at the World League Final last month, the test series against the 14th-ranked side will give players a chance to get some more game time before they take on the best in the world in Holland.
“It’s a big six months of hockey and this Japan series will help us prepare for that. As a team we gained a lot from last month’s World League Final, and we will be looking to build on that,” said head coach Colin Batch.
Tauranga Hockey Association general manager Clyde du Toit said he is thrilled to have test matches coming his way and believes that the passionate hockey community in the Bay of Plenty will come along to support the Black Sticks.
Over the last two year’s Tauranga Hockey Association has significantly upgraded its Blake Park facilities with new world-class turfs and improved lighting.
"The final independent testing of the lighting was done on Wednesday night and I was there at 11 o'clock and it absolutely looked spectacular," said du Toit.
"The lighting is a huge improvement from what we had before.
"Plus, we now have electronic scoreboards on both of our turfs which will make a big difference for the spectators and the players during the season."
Games will be at 7pm on Wednesday 12 March, 7pm on Thursday 13 March and 2pm on Saturday 15 March at Blake Park in Kawaka Street, Mount Maunganui. The gates will be open three hours beforehand for a curtain raiser.
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Hockey New Zealand Media release
Reading and East Grinstead retain English Indoor titles
By Mike Haymonds
Reading women retained their national indoor title with a 9-2 win over Bowdon Hightown in the final of the Maxinutrition 5s at Wembley Arena, thanks to an outstanding display by their goalkeeper Sarah Ellis.
In the opening half Ellis, 30, blocked Bowdon’s only two corners of the game and made three other point blank saves but then had little to do in the second half when Reading’s defence was totally dominant.
Ellis went with England to the EuroHockey Indoor Championship in Prague last month but did not play at all. But she felt that the Euro experience helped to get to grips with the new 5-a-side game.
Of the Wembley victory she said: “It was our best performance of the season and a great morale booster for the European Cup in Lithuania later this month.”
Four Reading players scored doubles – Helen Richardson-Walsh, Becky Halle, Susie Gilbert and skipper Emma Thomas – with Emily Maguire bagging one. Bowdon’s scorers were Tina Cullen and Sally Walton.
In the men’s final East Grinstead won their sixth successive title with an 8-4 win over Canterbury.
Canterbury held their own in the first half when East Grinstead led 3-2 with goals from David Condon, Simon Faulkner and Mark Pearn.
But three goals in six minutes soon after the interval. two from Ross Stott and one from Joe Naughalty, put EG clear and they cruised to victory with further strikes by Pearn and Niall Stott.
Canterbury's play maker Trinidadian Kwane Browne had the consolation of scoring a hat-trick.
Pearn said: " It's particularly satisfactory to win a sixth title. We knew Canterbury would give us a tough game.
"But we raised our game in the early part of each half which was the basis of our victory."
Daily Express
Filip Neusser loving life in England
By Mike Haymonds
Filip Neusser was thrilled with East Grinstead's win at Wembley [PH]
ENGLISH hockey is still a long way off top-flight football’s number of foreign imports but indoor champions East Grinstead are bucking the trend.
The Sussex club won their sixth successive title at the Maxinutrition 5s final at the Wembley Arena, beating Canterbury 8-4, and their Czech goalkeeper Filip Neusser was voted player of the final.
It was their ninth success in all, an English club record.
Neusser, 33, in his second indoor season with EG, relished the Wembley experience, which saw a sell-out crowd of 6,500.
He said: “I don’t come for the money but it’s a fantastic atmosphere and there is nothing like it in Europe, even at the indoor finals in Germany, the home of indoor hockey. If there was more investment in the indoor game in England it would surely be even bigger.”
Yesterday he also gave the club’s outdoor title hopes a boost by signing for them on deadline day.
He certainly impressed East Grinstead manager Matt Jones, who said: “Filip demonstrated why he is widely regarded as the top indoor goalkeeper in the world. He was sensational. I’ve never witnessed a more outstanding display .”
East Grinstead will host the EuroHockey Champions Cup in Crawley from February 14-16 and Jones added: “We are the first English hosts and our prime objective will be to be the first English medal winners. We believe we have a real chance of a medal.”
Great Britain women flew to San Diego yesterday for a training camp and tri-nations tournament with New Zealand and USA.
The squad includes all the centrally contracted players.
GB play practice games against the other nations on Feb 9 & 10 and the tournament runs from Feb 12-18.
Anne Panter is retiring after an illustrious hockey career [GETTY]
Anne Panter, with 108 caps, and Natalie Seymour, 74 caps, have both announced their international retirements.
Panter, who won the GB bronze medal at the London Olympics, has recently started a career as a trader at Goldman Sachs.
But she nearly did not make it to London 2012. The Leicester defender needed a pioneering double operation to reconstruct her left knee which kept her out for more than two years between Beijing and London.
“It’s been an incredible journey and one which has tested me in ways I couldn’t have imagined,” said Panter.
“I feel I’ve given my all to being the best I could be and to be able to finish my career on the high of winning an Olympic medal in London, with a very special squad, makes me extremely proud, and fortunate.”
England and GB performance director Danny Kerry said: "Anne has been the very embodiment of resilience in the face of adversity and I think she has proved that this quality, perhaps above all others, is the defining variable that leads to success. Overcoming numerous set-backs, Anne's single-minded determination has seen her rewarded with an Olympic medal at London 2012. I am sure Anne will tear up the financial world as she embarks on a new path in the City of London."
Canterbury’s Seymour is completing a clinical psychology doctorate at Royal Holloway, University of London and is also training and competing in triathlon at top level. Her proudest moment was winning England’s first medal at a women’s World Cup after they claimed bronze in Argentina in 2010.
“I feel so lucky to have been part of the sport at such an exciting time,” said Seymour.
“Having the opportunity to train full-time on the centralised programme was a huge privilege. I learnt a huge amount, taking my hockey further than I ever thought I could. It was an incredible experience and allowed the squad to fulfil their potential and climb the world rankings and it’s great to see that success continuing.”
Kerry said: “Natalie is an athlete who was an inspiration. Her attitude, commitment and integrity was an exemplar to all. Natalie took these qualities onto the pitch and was a true warrior, one admired by all her peers.”
Daily Express
Dharmaraj prepared for the worst
By Jugjet Singh
MALAYSIA will need a miracle to beat World No 1 Australia in their opening Group A match of the World Cup at the Hague, Netherlands on May 31.
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has given Malaysia, despite being the lowest ranked team at the tournament, the honour to open proceedings against the highest ranked side.
And there is more trouble in the format, as the 12-team tournament has two groups, with the top two in each group moving into the semi-finals, while the rest will battle it out in the fifth-12th bracket depending on how they fare in the group stages.
The tournament format is such that it makes group matches more important as the teams who finish third in Group A and Group B will battle it out for the fifth-sixth spot.
"Yes, we would need a miracle to beat defending champions Australia, so we will concentrate on the other four teams to make sure we finish as high as possible in Group A as the FIH format is a straight playoff with no cross-overs for cushion," said national coach K. Dharmaraj.
World No 13 Malaysia's other opponents in Group A are World No 5 Belgium (June 2), No 4 England (June 5), No 10 India (June 7) and No 9 Spain (June 9).
In Group B are Olympic champions and World No 2 Germany, Netherlands (No 3), New Zealand (No 6), South Korea (No 7), Argentina (No 11) and South Africa (No 12).
"As the lowest ranked team in the tournament, we need to target a high position in our group. But our first three matches will be difficult to win, so we will go all out to get the better of India and Spain in the last two matches to avoid finishing last in the group," said Dharmaraj.
But the Australians would surely remember last year's Azlan Shah Cup final where Malaysia took them to the wire before losing 3-2 with the winner scored just seven seconds from time.
Then, Faizal Saari and Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin scored to hold Australia 2-2 before Trent Mitton stunned the 15,000 fans with his goal in the dying seconds to seal Australia's seventh Azlan Shah Cup title.
New Straits Times
Ismail may miss World Cup with bum knee
By Aftar Singh
National hockey player Ismail Abu (right) will be out of action indefinitely with a knee injury. - Filepic
KUALA LUMPUR: Experienced forward Ismail Abu aggravated his knee injury during training last week and is unsure how long he’ll be out of action.
Last year, the Pahang-born player had to take five injections to reduce the inflammation on his knee.
The injury, which he suffered in February, ruled him out of action for seven months.
His last assignment with the national team was the Asian Champions Trophy in Kakamigahara, Japan, last November. Malaysia finished third in the tournament.
The 29-year-old Ismail, who has been representing Malaysian since 2002, said that he is looking forward to playing in his first World Cup in The Hague, Holland, from May 31-June 15.
But he also knows that his chances look slim because of the injury.
“I thought I had fully recovered from my knee injury as I had no problems during the fitness test conducted by the national team last month,” said Ismail, who has 192 international caps.
“But I was wrong ... I feel the pain every time I put pressure on my knee.”
Ismail said that he would be going for a check-up today at the National Sports Institute (ISN).
“ISN chief executive officer (Datuk) Dr Ramlan (Abdul Aziz) will personally check on my knee problem. I hope it’s not serious as I really want to play in the World Cup,” said the father of two children.
National chief coach K. Dharmaraj described the injury to Ismail as “unfortunate”.
“I’m not sure how serious his injury is. I don’t want an injured player in my training squad. I only want fit players,” said Dharmaraj.
“I want Ismail to get his knee treated. I met Dr Ramlan and he has promised to attend to the player’s injury.
“I told Ismail that if he can recover from the injury, I will recall him as the national team have five important tournaments this year.”
The national team will start the year by playing in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh from March 13-23, followed by Champions Challenge I (Kuantan, from April 26-May 4); World Cup (The Hague, May 31-June 15); Commonwealth Games (Glasgow, July 23-Aug 3); and Asian Games (Incheon, Sept 19-Oct 4).
So far, three players – defenders Engku Malik and Azreen Rizal Nasir and forward Harvinder Singh – have withdrawn from the national team.
The overweight Engku Malik has been told to shed a few kilogrammes while Azreen (sports science) and Harvinder (accountancy), who are both studying at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), will be doing their internships for six months.
The Star of Malaysia
Title race hots up as Wazalendo Youth and Telkom Orange top national hockey leagues
By ELIZABETH MBURUGU
Kenyatta University’s Prudence Wasolwa (left) is tackled by Strathmore’s Rachel Ousa at a Kenya Hockey Union Women’s National League match at the weekend. [PHOTO:JENIPHER WACHIE/STANDARD]
Wazalendo Youth are at the summit of the Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) men’s national league table.
Wazalendo edged Kabarak University 1-0 to earn three vital points that sent them to the top of the league with 23 points. Erick Ochieng’ scored Wazalendo’s lone goal in the 26th minute.
University of Nairobi are second on the table with 18 points following their 4-1 victory against Thika Rovers at the weekend.
Kenyatta University are third, tying on points with UoN who have an inferior goal difference. Both teams have played nine matches winning five, drawing three and losing once.
In the Women’s National League title chase, 15-time champions Orange Telkom are still at the top of the table with 24 points.
They have had a good run in their title defense, winning all their league matches and conceding one goal.
United States International University-Africa (USIU) Spartans are second with 21 points from eight matches, having won seven times and losing once to champions Orange.
Sliders third
Sliders are third following their 3-0 trouncing of Mombasa Sports Club (MSC) on Sunday with 18 points.
MSC have moved to fifth place following their 4-1 victory against Multimedia University.
Strathmore University ladies, who suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat against Orange on Saturday, are fourth with 12 points from six matches.
The Scorpions made a comeback on Sunday stinging Kenyatta University 3-0.
In second place
The Men’s Premier League saw Kisumu Simba remain in second place with 16 points following their barren draw against Western Jaguars in Kakamega.
Kenya Police stay put at the top of the log with 21 points. USIU are third with 13 points after a 2-0 thumping of Karate Axiom.
Defending champions Nairobi Simba are fourth with 12 points, while Simba whose title defense has not been rosy, beat Parkroad 1-0 to earn three points at the weekend.
Greensharks sent Karate Axiom, who have not won a match this season, to the bottom of the log with a 2-1 beating.
Greensharks head coach Nixon Nyangaga said the victory was a morale booster for his team who have not been able to play for a long time.
“The win was very important for us, we have neither been able to play nor train together,” he said.
“We are back and we hope to win all our remaining matches,” he added.
Sharks’ title ambitions suffered a setback when Kenya Police were awarded three points. They were denied a chance to play as they oew Kenya Hockey Union some money.
The Standard Online