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News for 12 August 2018

All the news for Sunday 12 August 2018


2018 Test Matches : CAN v FRA (M) - Final test
Burlington (USA)

CAN v FRA     2 - 0

France win the 4 match series 2 - 1 with the 2nd test being a 2 - 2 draw

2018 Test Matches:THA v HKG (M) - Final test
Pathumthani (THA)

THA v HKG     3 - 1

Thailand win the series 3 - 0

FIH Match Centre



2018 PSi International Test Matches: ZIM v NAM (M) - 2nd test
Harare (ZIM)

ZIM v NAM     0 - 5 (0 - 2)

Namibia lead the 5 test series 2 - 0

2018 PSi International Test Matches: ZIM v RSA (W) 2nd & 3rd tests
Harare (ZIM)

ZIM v RSA     0 - 1 (0 - 1)
ZIM v RSA     2 - 6 (0 - 4)

South Africa lead the 5 test series 3 - 0

FIH Match Centre



Boys seek to stamp Asian supremacy

With six days to go for the Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games, The Tribune analyses the hockey teams’ chances

Indervir Grewal


PR Sreejesh’s men will open their campaign against hosts Indonesia on August 20. FILE

The Indian men's team is through with the first half of a long and busy year, and having seen surprising highs and lows, it is anybody's guess what the team's fate would be in the coming months.

However, after getting through the severe criticism they faced for the disappointing show at the Commonwealth Games and bouncing back to win the silver medal at the Champions Trophy, India should be mentally ready for what is to follow in this important year.

India's biggest tests — the Asian Games, also a qualifying tournament for the 2020 Olympics, and the World Cup at home — are yet to come. Expectations are higher than ever — justifiably so, as India's rank is the highest it has been in a long time — bringing along high pressure. After the unpredictable slide and then rise of the team in the last few months, all eyes will be on India's campaign at the Asian Games.

A gold medal in Jakarta will ensure direct entry into the Tokyo Olympics. It will also set the tone for the World Cup in Bhubaneswar in December. The defending champions also have a chance to create history — win back-to-back titles for the first time and join Pakistan and Korea. For eight team members, it is an opportunity to become the only players from the country to win two Asian Games gold medals.

Outright favourites?

Winning the title should be straightforward, at least on paper. India, at No. 5, are the highest ranked side in the tournament. The next best-ranked team is Malaysia (No. 12), followed by Pakistan (13) and Korea (14). India have not lost to an Asian rival since June last year, when they were defeated 3-2 by Malaysia in the World League Semifinals. They have defeated Malaysia on all occasions since, and were held 1-1 once each by Korea and Pakistan.

Looking at their overall form as well, India have lost just twice in their last nine matches. Their confidence should be sky high after the silver medal in the Champions Trophy, which had the world's top four teams — Australia, Argentina, Belgium and the Netherlands — competing for the title.

But India struggle to handle the added pressure of the favourites tag, especially due the high expectations of the federation and the fans, who want only gold. The Gold Coast CWG is a case in point. India's fourth-place finish, behind world No. 1 Australia, New Zealand and England, was lambasted, more so because they had won silver in the last two editions, and this year, they were expected to go a step further. But what was overlooked was that despite being lower-ranked than India, England and New Zealand are among the top 10 teams in the world and very competitive.

The reaction to the CWG result would be in the players' minds and they know that failing to defend their title in Jakarta would invite even harsher criticism. However, the way they played in the Champions Trophy showed their potential, and if they match it in the Asiad, they will blow away the competition.

Men in Pool A

India (World No. 5), Korea (14), Japan (16), Sri Lanka, Hong Kong and Indonesia;
(Pool B): Malaysia (12), Pakistan (13), Bangladesh, Oman, Thailand, Kazakhstan

Squad: PR Sreejesh (Captain, GK), Krishan B Pathak (GK), Harmanpreet Singh, Varun Kumar, Surender Kumar, Amit Rohidas, Rupinder Pal Singh, Birendra Lakra, Sardar Singh, Manpreet Singh, Chinglensana Singh (Vice-Captain), Vivek Sagar Prasad, Simranjeet Singh, SV Sunil, Mandeep Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Dilpreet Singh, Lalit Upadhyay
 
Coach: Harendra Singh

Most titles: Pakistan 8

India’s titles: 3

India in 2014: Gold

The Tribune



Girls ride a wave of success

Indervir Grewal


Captain Rani Rampal and coach Sjoerd Marijne are a winning combo.

The women's team is on the upswing. In 13 months, they have climbed to the top in Asia and become competitive at the world stage. In July last year, India were down at 12th in the world rankings and finished eighth in the 10-team World League Semifinals in Johannesburg.

They were still trying to find their feet under new coach Sjoerd Marijne, who had joined at the start of the year. So, going into the Asia Cup in October, not many expected a gold from them. They had also seen their coach move to the men's team and Harendra Singh replace the Dutchman.

Marijne, on first becoming the women's coach, had said that the women needed to believe they could compete with the top teams and not think of themselves as world No. 12. At the Asia Cup, India played with an unexpected confidence level, attacking as if they were the top seeds, and solid in defence throughout. They won every match, scoring 28 goals and conceding just five. They beat higher-ranked China (No. 8) and Japan (No. 11).

But there was a question whether they could compete at the world level. But in the last few months, they have shown that Asia Cup was no fluke. They finished fourth in the Commonwealth Games, even getting a win against world No. 2 England. They drew five-match series in Spain and South Korea. They won the silver medal at the Asian Champions Trophy after losing 1-0 to South Korea in the final. During this period, Hockey India against decided to change their coach, this time swapping Harendra with Marijne.

But the climb continued, and India achieved their best finish at the World Cup since 1978, finishing eighth in the 16-team tournament. They drew with England and USA and lost only to eventual silver-medallists Ireland — once in the pool stage and then a heartbreaking shootout loss in the quarterfinals. Though they struggled to score goals, India's gritty defence, having conceded just three goals, garnered praise.

Biggest test in continent

After 13 months, India have risen to world No. 9, overtaking South Korea (10), China (11) and Japan (14). However, to confirm their supremacy in Asia, India have to win the biggest test in the continent — the Asian Games. India have won only one gold, in 1982, and have finished second once, in 1998. They have won three bronze medals, including in 2006 and 2014. This time, though, India are actually the favourites in all aspects — they are the highest ranked side and have the best form compared with the other Asian teams. Defending Asian Games champions South Korea finished 12th in the World Cup, Japan 13th and China last (16th).

Since last October, India have beaten China thrice, Japan twice and Malaysia thrice. Their closest rivals have been South Korea. They have beaten the Koreans twice, lost thrice and played out two draws.

Women in Pool B

(Pool A): China (World No. 11), Japan (14), Malaysia, Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei;
(Pool B): India (9), Korea (10), Thailand, Kazakhstan, Indonesia

Squad: Savita (Vice-Captain, GK), Rajani Etimarpu (GK), Deepika, Sunita Lakra, Deep Grace Ekka, Gurjit Kaur, Reena Khokhar, Monika, Namita Toppo, Nikki Pradhan, Neha Goyal, Lilima Minz, Navjot Kaur, Rani (Captain), Vandana Katariya, Lalremsiami, Navneet Kaur, Udita

Coach: Sjoerd Marijne

Most titles: South Korea 5

India’s titles: 1

India in 2014: Bronze

The Tribune



Making to semis first step: Sreejesh



What do you feel about the team’s chances at the Asiad?

Everyone knows that we are the favourites. That gives us confidence to play every match with high voltage. But that is not how we are thinking. We need to concentrate on our performance right from the beginning. We will be focusing on each match at a time and planning to make it to the semifinals

You were back in top form at the Champions Trophy. That must have been a confidence boost for you coming back from an injury?

Definitely, Champions Trophy was one my best events. I needed that because I had a disappointing performance in the Commonwealth Games. I needed it to regain my confidence and build that confidence in my players so that they feel that our goalkeeper will cover our mistakes.

How important is the role of a captain?

For a captain, it is more important to manage the players off the field. On-field, everyone knows what to do; my job as a goalkeeper is to organise the defence and motivate the team. Off the field, we do a lot of team-bonding exercises. I trust this team; it has a good balance between youngsters and seniors. Everyone is just waiting to show what we can do at the Asian Games.

The Tribune



Malaysian Women hockey team get monetary boost before Asian Games

By Aftar Singh

KUALA LUMPUR: The national women’s hockey team received a monetary boost ahead of the Aug 18-Sept 2 Asian Games in Jakarta.

The Malaysian Hockey Confe­deration (MHC) gave each player RM1,000 yesterday for their efforts in winning the World Series tournament in Singapore in June.

National coach K. Dharmaraj’s women team scored a whopping 51 goals and conceded just one in six matches. It was the third consecutive time Malaysia won the first round of the World Series.

Malaysia have finished fifth in the last four Asian Games in Busan (2002), Doha (2006), Guangzhou (2010) and Incheon (2014).

The challenge is for the players to defy the odds and qualify for the semi-finals at Asian Games.



Defender Nuraini Abdul Rashid (pic), who was the top scorer in the World Series in Singapore with nine goals, said that the incentive they received would spur them on to play well in the Games.

“We thank MHC for taking care of the players’ welfare and also for providing us with Adidas astro-turf shoes for the Games.

“We have vowed to give our best and try to finish in the top four,” said Nuraini, who was named the best player in the tournament in Singapore.

The 29-year-old Nuraini scored goals in all six matches in the tournament in Singapore and her main challenge in the Asian Games is to do the same.

“I am the main penalty corner drag flicker and my teammates will be banking on me to score.

For the Asian Games, Malaysia are drawn in Group A with China, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan while defending champions South Korea, India, Thailand, Kazakhstan and Indonesia are drawn in Group B.

Nuraini said she and teammates have promised to rise to the occasion and finish in the top two in their group.

“We have upset world No. 12 Japan (3-2) in the Asian Champions Trophy in Donghae City in South Korea in May and we can do it again as the pressure will be them to get the better of us.

“We (the players) have shown improvement in tournaments and it’s time for us to give teams like Japan, China, India and Korea a run for their money,” said Nuraini.

The Star of Malaysia



MHC's president and deputy will resign if men's team fail to play in 2020 Olympics

By Jugjet Singh

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) will not only lose their president, but also their deputy if the men’s team fail to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Shamala, who has been involved with hockey for over two decades, made the announcement during MHC’s annual general meeting (AGM) here.

"Our president has done a great job and I am very proud to be in his team.

"And so, to shoulder collective responsibility, I will also relinquish my post if the men's team fail to qualify for the Olympics," said Shamala.

The last time Malaysia featured at the Olympics was the 2000 Sydney edition where the men’s team finished 11th.

Stephen van Huizen's men have two routes to qualify for Tokyo. One is to win gold at the Asian Games, and the second is via the Hockey World Series which Malaysia will host the first part in April next year.

While it was a fresh statement from Shamala, Subahan has made his stand many times.

Shamala feels their stand will not add pressure to the team.

"We are making our stand because we believe the team have the ability to win the gold (at the Asian Games),” she added.

Jugjet's World of Field Hockey



“Hidden gem” Nidge no longer an Irish secret weapon


Nigel Henderson imparts advice to Ayeisha McFerran. Pic: Adrian Boehm

In one of Craig Fulton’s last games in charge of the Irish men, he witnessed fine goalkeeping displays from David Fitzgerald and Jamie Carr in a 2-1 win over Germany in the absence of David Harte.

Asked about his performance, Fulton was quick to say “we have four top goalkeepers and that’s down to our hidden gem”.

The “secret weapon” he was referring to was Nigel “Nidge” Henderson, the former Irish skipper who has been working with Irish keepers for over a decade, working with two time goalkeeper of the year David Harte since as far back as 2006.

The “hidden” side of Nidge’s involvement, though, has been blown out of the water this summer following Ayeisha McFerran’s breakout tournament in London this month.

Following the India quarter-final win, McFerran was asked by The Hook’s English equivalent – The Top of the D – what makes Irish goalkeepers so special.

“Nidge.” came the slightly puzzling reply for The Top of the D. “Nidge is phenomenal.” beams McFerran. “The amount of work he puts in with the goalkeepers on the pitch and mentally too, he’s amazing.

“Whenever I’ve struggled he’s been able to help me to overcome whatever’s troubling me. The training he gives us is second to none and he’s the reason so many good goalies come out of Ireland.

“We’re really grateful to him for his work and without him, Ireland wouldn’t have so many good goalkeepers. Many of us wouldn’t be where we are today.”

Henderson was one of the leading lights with Pembroke during their golden era from the last 90s into the early noughties. A relative latecomer to international hockey, he made his debut at the age of 28 but went on to captain the side in 48 of his 68 caps.

He was known for his fearlessness between the posts and only finished up with Ireland at the age of 37. In an interview with The 42 today, he explained how he wanted to give back some of his knowledge and he was quickly co-opted into the men’s setup by Paul Revington.

David Harte took on the first choice goalkeeper role in his stead at Pembroke and Ireland and is similarly glowing about what he does on the coaching front.

“Bloody hard work haha!” Harte told The Hook when asked what kind of things he does with the keepers he coaches.


Nigel Henderson makes a save for Pembroke against Three Rock Rovers in 2008. Pic: Adrian Boehm

“From match situations, penalty corner drag flicks to reflections and baseline exercises. He tries to cover all aspects of our game that we could face.

“Nidge is such an incredibly humble and hardworking man in and out of hockey. His own personal accolades as a keeper are not to be overlooked.

“He has been there and done that and what makes him even more special is his mental toughness and resilience which he imparts onto his keepers – sending us different books to read at times from a goalkeeping perspective like ice hockey, a game he loves too.

“He’s not on social media and barely knows how to text – he’ll kill me, haha – but he’s always there whenever his keepers need him; 7am pitch sessions in scorching heat or sub-zero temperatures, he’ll be there setting the pitch up getting exercises ready from his infamous ‘black book’!

“He’s an inspiration to us all and has the backing of his family and amazing wife, Kathryn.

“I’m just so glad he has been given the recognition he deserves. He must be a Hall of Famer and he continues to be one of Ireland’s most important servants to hockey, both as a player and as a coach. I can’t thank the man enough for what he has done to help me personally and I know every keeper he comes in contact with thinks the same!”

The Hook



Opening day of South Africa's CTM PHL 2018 provides thrilling entertainment



The Addo Elephants struck a devastating blow as Julian Hykes netted a late winner for the 2016 Runners-up, the Orange River Rafters came from behind to win their opener, the Mapungubwe Mambas gave coach Lungile Tsolekile the perfect start, the Blyde River Bunters continued their miserly ways and the Maropeng Cavemen and Garden Route Gazelles dished up a classic as the 2018 CTM Premier Hockey League got underway at Randburg Astro today.

The first goal of the 2018 CTM Premier Hockey League was struck within 90 seconds of the tournament getting underway. Luthando Jonas found himself in some space and finished like a seasoned striker. Things got even better for the Mambas, being coached by Tsolekile for the first time, when Michael Baiden made it 2-0. In the second half there was signs of a fight back for the Golden Gate Gladiators as they pulled a goal back through the impressive Michael Forrest. But the Mambas, who finished third in 2017, made sure of the victory when Jonty Robinson, a man with more than 100 caps for South Africa, settled the result for the Mambas.



The 2017 champions, the Orange River Rafters, got the Women’s competition underway as taking on the Wineland Wings. Both sides were missing some players currently on duty with the South African Indoor side in Zimbabwe. That didn’t stop the Wings though and Tarryn Glasby, fresh from duty at the Vitality Hockey Women’s World Cup, fired home in the opening minute. Almost systematically though the defending champions started fighting back and with the last play of the opening quarter Nicole Walraven, another World Cup member, equalised with a deft deflection at the penalty corner.

The second quarter ended in almost the same way when entering the final minute of the quarter and the half Chane Hartel scooped a loose ball into the D past Charlize Swanepoel in the Wings goal to give Shaun Hulley’s Rafters a half time lead. The Rafters turned up the tempo and scored again through Zeena Martin and four minutes later scored again through Chane Hartel. The fourth was reviewed however and chalked off for a foot in the build-up. The Wings fought back and Tarryn Glasby pulled one back to set up a grand stand finish but unfortunately for the Wings they could not find the goal to level giving the defending champions a good opening day win.

The Addo Elephants followed the example set by the opening two games by scoring early in the first quarter through Olympian Julian Hykes and quickly doubled through a fantastic tomahawk finish by Andrew Manson. The 2017 runners-up the Drakensberg Dragons started the uphill climb and would have felt a glimmer of hope when Francois Pretorius got one back for them. That hope grew when Richard Pautz scored a fantastic diving deflection to level. The Dragons had an incredible 54 circle entries over 20 from the Elephants but somehow with the game heading to a shootout, superb work by Andrew Manson set up Julian Hykes who finished to send the Elephants into delirium.

The crowd at Randburg were eagerly awaiting the appearance of the Blyde River Bunters captain Phumelela Mbande after her heroics against Argentina at the World Cup and they were not disappointed as she showed signs of the same form in denying the Madikwe Rangers any goals in superb victory for Marcelle Keet’s Bunters. It was a victory borne out of great rearguard defence but with a great opportunistic goal taken by Mmamoagi Kungoane, her second career PHL goal, after a ball through by Jessica de Bruyn-Smith was parried away by Mmatshepo Modipane.

The final game of day one had a bit of a slumbering first quarter but came to life sensationally in the second quarter when the Garden Route Gazelles took the lead through Tyson Dlungwana. The defending champions were then further stunned as they fell 2-0 down through a Reece Arendse goal. The Cavemen have not lost a game in open play since PHL 2016’s group stages and they showed their class as they fought back. They pulled one goal back sensationally through a Cameron Mackay deflection in the 30th minute before former South Africa U21 International Kyle Lion-Cachet levelled from a Penalty corner in the 49th minute.

The most exciting period of the day was still to come though as Lion-Cachet gave the double champions the lead for the first time in the 58th minute giving Siya Nolutshungu no chance from a penalty stroke. If the Cavemen thought they could celebrate their victory they would be mistaken as the Gazelles, under the leadership of the impressive Ashlin Freddy, fought back again and found the game-tying goal from Luke Schooling after a great piece of play from Dlungwana. As is in the CTM PHL rules, every game must have a result and it was down to a shootout to decide the winner.

In the shootout Estiaan Kriek, only playing for the Cavemen due to Rassie Pieterse’s unavailability, saved two ultimately being enough to see Mark Sanders team home with the 3 points. Of course, the nature of the CTM PHL is such that tonight the teams will go home, analyse video and prepare themselves for another day of action packed hockey tomorrow. What a start to the 2018 CTM PHL.

CTM PHL Weekend 1

Saturday 11 August
08:00 – Men – Old Mutual iWyze Golden Gate Gladiators 1-3 Elf Laminates Mapungubwe Mambas
10:00 – Women – Ceramic Industries Wineland Wings 2-3 Italtile Orange River Rafters
12:00 – Men – Kilamanjaro Addo Elephants 3-2 Pro Grip Drakensberg Dragons
14:00 – Women – Tivoli Taps Blyde River Bunters 1-0 Top T Madikwe Rangers
16:00 – Men – Origins Maropeng Cavemen (4) *3-3 (3) Garden Route Gazelles

Sunday 12 August
08:00 – Women – Private Property St. Lucia Lakers vs. Old Mutual iWyze Namaqualand Daisies
10:00 – Men – Old Mutual iWyze Golden Gate Gladiators vs. Kilamanjaro Addo Elephants
12:00 – Women – Top T Madikwe Rangers vs. Italtile Orange River Rafters
14:00 – Men – Elf Laminates Mapungubwe Mambas vs. Origins Maropeng Cavemen
16:00 – Women – Tivoli Taps Blyde River Bunters vs. Ceramic Industries Wineland Wings

SA Hockey Association media release



There's nothing like victory,' 70 years later, Balbir Singh Senior remembers independent India's first Olympic gold

Shantanu Srivastava


Balbir Singh Senior scores India's first goal in the final of 1948 Olympics against Great Britain in London. Image Courtesy: Balbir Singh Senior

Balbir Singh Senior sits in his languid stupor, allowing his mind to race backwards. Between sporadic recollections, he stares blankly at the glass window in front of him, as if piecing together vignettes from his illustrious career into a cohesive tale of triumphs and tears. The wax in his left ear is troubling him, the memory is somewhat sketchy, but once the grand old man of Indian hockey is nudged, he is hard to stop.

It is 70 years to that day, and Balbir remembers 12 August, 1948 in all its glory. Why wouldn’t he, for he was the throbbing heart of a pulsating forward line, and the highest scorer for his team despite playing only two matches.

“Well, 1948. What do I say? What a day! It’s very difficult to explain what I felt. The entire world was at our disposal. Independent India, first Olympics, first gold. It was unbelievable. Of course, beating England, our former masters, on their turf in the final made it all the more special,” he says, glistening with pride.

“I remember the soft strains of our national anthem as our tri-colour slowly went up. I looked at the flag, and I felt that with it, I was also rising from the ground. It’s unreal, but that is how I felt.”

For a nation that had recently been witness to the most bloodied mass migration in human history, for its people who were torn between celebrating their new-found freedom and grieving their dead, for an economy that needed to be built from the very beginning, for the dying and destitute, the defeated and dreamless, the hungry and homeless, the importance and impact of a gold disc measuring 51.4 mm in diameter can’t be stated enough. Sports are an integral part of nation-building, and on that heady Thursday, a stuttering nation found its first sense of hope and belief.

Professor Dr Sudesh Kumar Gupta, sports historian and sociologist and a close friend of Balbir, puts that achievement in perspective.

“We were ruled by British for 200 years. Our social settings and attitudes change a lot in 15 years; imagine being ruled for 200 years. 1948 was the first time when our flag went up, and the real socio-cultural importance of that gold was the Queen and the entire paraphernalia standing up to salute us, barely 10 months after we became an independent nation,” he says.


Balbir Singh Senior scores India's second goal in the final of 1948 Olympics. Image Courtesy: Balbir Singh Senior

Dr Gupta would know. Thanks to his historical research and rich tales from his late father - Dr BL Gupta, the founder-head of Department of Physical Education, Punjab University who also served as the secretary-general of Indian Hockey Federation – Sudesh is privy to the deepest secrets of Indian hockey.

“Not many people know, but there were subdued discussions of fielding a joint India-Pakistan team for the London Olympics, primarily because the strong team of undivided India ceased to exist after Partition. However, the proposal didn’t come through, and we had separate India and Pakistan teams,” he informs.

Things were different a year before the Olympics, when in June-July, a full-strength Punjab team won their second successive National Championships in Bombay, beating hosts in the final. Months later, India and Pakistan endured the horrors of Partition, and Balbir, a policeman, witnessed the carnage from close quarters.

“It was ghastly; blood and bodies everywhere. We worked round the clock to quell riots, but it was just too much. I literally saw rivers of blood,” he says.

The challenge, in terms of hockey though, was to deal with the exodus of talented players to Pakistan. Maqbool Hashmat, Aziz, Shahrukh, Ali Iqtidar Shah Dara and Khurram had opted to stay in the new country, leaving India with the enviable task of building a new team. Dara, in fact, was part of the team that won gold at the Berlin Olympics in 1936.


Balbir Singh Senior ended the 1948 Olympics as India's leading scorer.

“Maqbool (Hashmat) was my senior and my right wing. An excellent player, and an even better human being. He taught me to look left and pass right. Aziz was my left wing. Those were very fine players, maybe better than me,” Balbir had told Firstpost in an earlier interaction.

However, in Sant Prakash Singh and Ashwini Kumar, Punjab found two police officers who were equally passionate about hockey. Sant was independent Punjab’s first Inspector-General, while Ashwini was Superintendent of Police. A new Punjab Hockey Association was formed in Ambala, and Sant and Ashwini organised multiple camps across the state to create and identify fresh talent pool.

Before the Olympics, a preparatory camp was held in Bombay, and Balbir, despite playing a key role in Punjab winning their last two Nationals and being a part of the team that toured Ceylon (now Sri Lanka)  the previous season, was curiously not invited.

He was called two weeks later, after an Anglo-Indian player raised the issue and the press began to write about it. Balbir sensed something amiss when he was not allowed to play as a centre-forward – “not even for a day,” he insists – and instead was asked to play at the unfamiliar inside-right position.

He eventually made it to the 20-member squad that flew to London. The 79-member, all-men Indian contingent were to take part in 39 events across 10 sports.

Upon landing at the Heathrow Airport, the team was greeted by Balbir’s former boss at Punjab Police, Sir John Bennett.

“In India, he would not have talked to me, but there as a host, he came with a garland. I was shocked. He also gave me a very important tip. He said, ‘Tell your teammates, Indian grounds are hard and the ball comes to you fast. But here, the grounds are soft and soggy, so the ball sometimes slows down before it reaches you. So don’t wait for the ball. Run for the ball.’ It was my first visit to London, the city of our former masters. As rulers, the British were very strict, but as hosts, they were excellent. People invited us to their homes for tea and dinner.”

Balbir met his now-Pakistani friends at the opening ceremony in Wembley Stadium, and was taken aback by their lack of warmth.

“Niaz Khan, Dara, Shahrukh, Mehmood and Aziz saw us, but I was surprised to notice that our old friends were deliberately trying to keep a distance from us. The openness was missing; our feelings were mixed,” Balbir writes in his autobiography The Golden Hat Trick.

India were led by Kishan Lal, and KD Singh ‘Babu’ as captain and vice-captain respectively, while AC Chatterjee and Pankaj Gupta were joint managers of the hockey team. Those were the times when managers and senior players doubled up as coaches, and terms such as analysts, think-tanks and strategists were unheard of.

Balbir was not played in the first match against Austria, that India won 8-0 with Patrick Jensen sounding the board four times. He finally got his chance in the next game, against Argentina. Playing in his desired position as the centre-forward, 24-year-old Balbir pumped in six goals as India routed the South American nation 9-1. It remains the record of most goals by a player on Olympic debut.

Balbir’s daughter Sushbir, who played hockey at the University and state-level, explains her father’s game. “Dad’s playing style was strange. By strange I mean he made everything look so easy.”

“He always looked so sure of scoring. His opposition would always have 2-3 players marking him, just to make sure he doesn’t get the ball near the ‘D’. They knew if he gets the ball, he will score. He was a complete player.”

India next played Spain, and Balbir, despite being listed in the initial playing XI, was dropped. Grahanandan ‘Nandi’ Singh was fielded as Balbir’s replacement, but the former failed to make an impact in India’s hard-fought 2-0 win.

The story repeated itself in the semi-final against Holland, where after trailing 0-1, India scrapped to a 2-1 win. Balbir, in fact, was pulled out as he was about to bully-off with the opposing forward.

“We had hopped on to the field and the match was about to start when our captain Kishan Lal tugged my shirt and said, ‘Bhaiya aap aj nai khel rahe.’ I still remember those words. Fir bhaiyya kya karta? I walked back. Imagine a jam-packed stadium, the crowd waiting for the start, your name is on the team sheet, you have created an Olympic record in your previous game, and then this drama. Dukh to hota hai, and thoda gussa bhi aata hai, but to control your anger is also part of a sportsperson’s job,” he says.

While Balbir refrains from going on record about the motives behind this dubious call, Dr SK Gupta offers an explanation.

“In those days, the rule was that if a team finishes on the podium, only those members of the squad who had played a match used to get the medal, not the entire squad. So instead of fielding the best XI, here we were, trying to ensure everybody gets a medal, if we win one,” he says.

Balbir’s replacement, Gerald Glacken, could convert only one of the many chances that came his way. The other goal was scored by KD Singh.

India’s insipid performance and a near-loss to Holland created a stir in the Indian community and the press in London. A delegation of Indian students and fans took the matter to India’s High Commissioner in the United Kingdom, VK Krishna Menon, and it was only after his intervention that Balbir could get a place in the playing XI for the final.

The final was played against hosts England, who had refrained from playing India all these years, partly because the British thought it undignified to play their colony, and largely, as Dr Gupta believes, from saving themselves the ignominy of losing to India, who had bagged Olympic gold in each of their previous appearances at the Games (1928, 1932, 1936).

Before the final, the team talk revolved more on infusing 'josh' in the squad than debating strategies and formations.

“We wanted the tiranga to fly high in Great Britain. Our managers, Mr Chatterjee and Mr Gupta asked us to give our best. They said, just do it for India, do it for our people. Such simple, but strong words. We were so full of josh.”

The final was played right after the third-place playoff between Pakistan and Holland, which meant the ground was not in the best of shape.

“I remembered Sir Bennett’s advice: Run for the ball. The stadium was brimming with people, and everyone was chanting for the home team, but after I scored in the seventh minute, they started shouting, ‘Come on, Balbir!’ I must appreciate their sportsmanship,” he remembers.

Balbir scored again in the 15th minute, both his goals coming from the top of ‘D’ via passes from Kishan Lal and KD Singh ‘Babu’ respectively. Drizzle arrived twice during the match, making the ground heavier, and the Indians shunned their natural short-passing game and went for long, pinpoint passes. The English public was treated to a spell-binding display of aerial passing, and soon Kishan Lal and Babu began to play barefoot, much to the spectators' amusement.

“The Englishmen couldn’t believe what they saw. We simply ran away with the game. And the English crowd, well, they started cheering for us. They shouted our names. It was so overwhelming.”

India led 2-0 at the half-time, and Balbir believes he could have scored more had he not been asked to go easy.

“After I scored the two goals, suddenly everyone from the team started shouting ‘defend karo’, so I had to slow down. Otherwise, I would have scored a few more,” he chuckles.

India kept up the pressure in the second half, and soon enough, two more goals arrived. Trilochan Singh scored through penalty corner, and Pat Jensen, India’s second highest scorer in the tournament after Balbir, rounded off India’s incredible campaign with another field goal.

4-0, the scoreline read, but what it doesn’t spell is that a nation that was yet to complete a year of its independence had beaten its erstwhile master who had ruled them with impunity for close to 200 years. It was not an upset; instead, all the years of suffering and servility, of being enslaved at your own home, of being systematically divided and ruled, of being brutally robbed of dignity and purpose, all the blood, sweat and gore of freedom struggle, the throes of the birth of a nation and partition had come alive in that singular moment.

“That win told the world that India can do it, that we are good enough at the highest level,” says Dr Gupta.

The scenes at Wembley, Balbir recalls, were “unbelievable”, and the team celebrated like “bad boys.” A victory lap and a standing ovation followed.

“We were surrounded by fans. They all wanted to touch us, see us. After the match, our High Commissioner VK Krishna Menon came to the ground. We were thrilled to meet him. He held a grand reception for us at India House,” says Balbir.

Back then, the concept of prize money didn’t exist, but the Olympic champions were sent to a goodwill tour of mainland Europe. They explored the wonders of France, Czechoslovakia, and Switzerland for a fortnight, before returning to Liverpool, from where they took a ship for a 26-day voyage to Bombay.

“Parties, everywhere parties! We danced and sang and partied on the journey. I think it was low tide in the Arabian Sea when we returned, and the ship could not come close to the harbour, so we waited in the sea for few more days.”

The team set foot in India to a rapturous, red-carpet welcome. Indian Hockey Federation chief Naval Tata greeted the team on arrival, and a large crowd turned up to catch a glimpse of their heroes.

Balbir's wife Sushil was expecting their first child when he had left for London, and by the time he returned, he was the father of Sushbir.

"I got two rewards that year. One was the Olympic gold, the other was my daughter," he tells us.


Balbir Singh Senior being felicitated by then Governor-General of India, C Rajagopalachari.

The team then flew to New Delhi, where then Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru, and then Governor-General C Rajagoplachari hosted another reception. The team played an exhibition match in capital’s National Stadium, with the Prime Minister and a full house of 70,000 in attendance. Fittingly, Balbir scored the only goal in that match.

“Wherever we went, we were accorded great welcome. It was humbling. There is nothing like victory, really,” he says. Quite a departure from 1936 Olympics, when only two members of Punjab Police had turned up to send the team off to Berlin, from where they returned with another gold medal.

“Time never stops. 70 saal ho gaye, wakai. It’s hard to believe. Once upon a time, our average age was 35-40. Imagine! It feels nice to be part of history,” Balbir, one of the two surviving members from that team (the other is Keshav Dutt, who resides in Kolkata), remarks.

For a change, he breaks his stare from the glass window and looks at me.

“Do you know what is my most dear trophy?” he asks. And before waiting for your correspondent to take an educated guess, points loosely towards a tiny Cup placed on the penultimate row of one of his many overflowing trophy cabinets.

“Yes, that one,” he exclaims, as I hold it delicately, trying to study what makes it so special.

“I won it for my school, Dayanand Memorial School, in Moga. My first.”

Firstpost



Series on 1948 London Olympic Hockey Gold



Hockey presented Independent India's first Olympic Gold, way back in 1948. The team led by right winger Kishen Lal did everything right to elevate just freed nation's prestige on the world map. On August 12th, seventy years ago, mere three days before the first Anniversary of India' Independence Day, full stands at Wembley stadium in London was reverberated with thunderous applause. They were just appreciating a nation that had just outplayed the hosts to lift its continuous fourth Gold at Olympic hockey.

Just because India was reigning hockey champions, and just because they went on to win many more in the subsequent editions, the significance of this day cannot be overlooked. This win ensured continuance of great tradition to another two decades.

Landmark victories such as this only have made hockey its National Game.

India did not play any serious international hockey after the Berlin Olympic feat. The 12 years of hiatus, inactivity due to war, and then the partition of the sprawling country, lack of funds and all such shortcomings were overcome with difficulties being shouldered and shared not only by the players but also by the well meaning administrators of erstwhile Indian Hockey Federation. It was headed by Naval H Tata, and the efforts his organization put in, itself is historic from myriad ways.

There were 13 countries in the fray, including fearsome ones being new nation Pakistan and re-entry of the hosts in a new avtar called Great Britain.



India won all its matches to climb the top slot on the victory dias.

What are the difficulties the team faced to achieve the miracle? Who are the players who made it happen? How many of them are alive today to tell the story Live? What did they get for bringing Olympic Gold for India? How much funding was required, how was it managed? Who coached the team in India, and why did not the coach go with the team? Why was Balbir Singh Sr, who later on went on to play two more Olympic Gold, not selected first, and what made the Selectors to change their heart?

Interestingly, a Bollywood film, 'Gold' which is scheduled to be released on 15th August, is fictionalized version of the same story of 1948 Olympic Gold.

I will be writing all these in the coming days.

Stick2Hockey.com



Two Living Legends, salute them

K. Arumugam



Sports is not without stars. Its stars who make sports dazzle, forever. Here in India we have two immortals, one in Chandigarh, the other in Kolkata. Balbir Singh Sr and Keshav Datt are the only two survivors of 1948 Olympic hockey team that got India's fourth, and significantly Independent India's first Gold. On this day at Wembley stadium in London, the Indian team of 20 stars and two officials saw tricolour go up and national anthem played with pride.

A nation that was under colonial rule, came out with vengeance within a year to beat their masters on their own backyard.

Balbir Singh, 94, will be in Delhi today to witness the special release of Gold, a fictionalized version of the struggle and story of the London Olympic Gold.

What an occasion!

Balbir Singh fortunately was born and brought up in the what later turned out to be East Punjab, as vast part of Lahore headed Punjab has now became Pakistan.

Balbir was in the Police when partition took place, and played his best role to save people irrespective of religion.

He was initially not selected for the 1948 Olympics, but was later included due to public outcry. He played first and last matches at London, scoring six goals in the first phase and then the valuable two in the grand final.

Keshav Dutt was not fortunate as that of Balbir Sr. Keshav's hometown Lahore was in flames when he was in Bombay to play for the National Championship. His colleague in the Punjab team Khurram saved him from mass fury when he had to go for a while.

Kehav Dutt, a flamboyant midfield, with an awe inspiring physique, used his brother's stay in Bombay to stay back, and get to play for Bombay in 1948 Nationals, which finished second behind Bhopal.

Keshav played badminton at top level, No.1 in Bengal.

He later joined Port Commissioner before permanently settled in Bombay Customs.

Keshav Dutt, Tarlochan Bawa, KD Singh Babu, captain Kishen Lal, goalie Leo Pinto are the players who played all the five matches in London.

Balbir Sr. went on to play two more Olympics, making it Golden Hat-trick, while Keshav could not get leave for his third Olympics.

Keshav Datt married a foreigner, and lives in Kolkata nowadays without anybody taking note of him.

Stick2Hockey.com

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