The Hindu : Indians conquer Aussies

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 09, 2003

Front Page

Front Page

Indians conquer Aussies

By S. Thyagarajan

IN HIGH SPIRITS: India's captain Dhanraj Pillay waves the Tricolour after the team won the tri-nation hockey tournament in Sydney on Sunday beating Australia 5-3. — AP

India 5 -- Australia 3

Australia `A' 5 -- Pakistan 2

Sydney June 8. Mobile and methodical, not to speak of motivation, India conquered Australia in a memorable finale to the twin HA men's hockey challenge at the Sydney International Stadium today. On a warm afternoon and before a large crowd composed of Indians, who joyfully waved the tricolour, India completed a truly rewarding sojourn to the down under as the first step towards the preparation for the Olympics at Athens.

The victory also underlined the resilience of the national team which played a sequence of eight matches in a two-week time frame. It narrowly missed the triumph against the same outfit at Perth after leading 1-0 till the last five minutes. Something like this was not beyond the imagination of many.

For, after having taken a 3-0 lead, shortly after the break, India conceded two goals to raise the blood pressure of supporters. More than 20 minutes of play was left at this point. But India not only defended the lead but struck two more superb goals to stay in front.

India had the good news this morning from the Tournament Director, Ian Faulkner, who permitted Baljit Singh Dhillon to take the field despite the red card suspension on Saturday. Dhillon played a splendid role in the frontline, and the fifth goal he slotted home from a sinuous run was a beauty to behold.

He dodged defender after defender with the grace and ease of a ballet dancer and capped the effort with a devastating flick into the boards. Overall, it was a majestic performance of the defence line where Ignace Tirkey was the master. At no point did he put the stick wrong. The same can be said of Bimal Lakra whose interceptions were top class by any yardstick. However, it would be invidious to pick an individual or two in a match that involved every member of the team giving of his best to script an iridescent chapter.

The Aussies were neatly baulked in all their workouts by the efficient mid-field throughout the first half. It would be an exaggeration to say they were outplayed in this part. Yet they troubled the defence initially. Troy Elder, arguably, the most dangerous striker in the Aussie ranks, shot wide early, and a penalty corner hit by him was saved by Devesh Chauhan with non-chalance.

What transformed the battle into a charming exhibition of technical excellence was the lead that Jugraj provided. Five minutes before the breather, India had its second penalty corner. Jugraj trapped the ball neatly, measured his angle and slammed it into the boards.

Even before the cheers died down, came a splendid effort from Gagan Ajit Singh. Initiated by Bimal Lakra, the pattern took shape with Dhanraj and Dhillon moving ahead with a brilliant bout of passing. And all that Gagan had to do was to tap the ball home, and he did that with alacrity to give India a 2-0 lead at half-time.

As the confidence level soared by the spectacular turn of events, India pressed hard immediately after break. Prabhjot Singh struck a peach of a goal deflecting an impeccable free hit by Bimal Lakra. The pressure from the Aussies, expectedly perhaps, began to escalate, despite the hard working deep defence in which both Dilip Tirkey and Kanwalpreet Singh came off exceedingly well.

The Aussie attack supported from the mid-field by Adam Commens and Grant Livermore using Troy Elder and Andrew Smith generated enormous activity in the zone.

Troy Elder smashed in a loose ball from the top of the circle. And at this stage, India could have regained the initiative if Gagan had not been flippant with a nice pass from Dhanraj. With only goal-keeper Stephen Lambert in front, Gagan shot over. But it was Australia which came back into the match when Troy Elder produced a flashy shot from a free hit by McCann.

Given its recent history of reverses in the last quarter, the pulse rate went up for many when Craig Victory forced the pace and shot over. The Indians struggled to keep the marauding Aussies in check and an equaliser looked imminent, if the pressure exerted was anything to go by. The defence deserves the accolades for staying on course despite being stretched to the limit.

When five minutes remained from the hooter, it was Dhanraj again on a brilliant solo run. After ambling through quite a distance, he served a lovely pass and Prabhjot Singh provided the finishing touches in a breathtaking fashion. This was Indian hockey at its best.

And that was not the end at all. Dhillon burst through and enlarged the lead with only four minutes left for the hooter.

Not the one to take defeat lying down, the Aussies launched an all out attack and succeeded in forcing a penalty corner, 22 seconds before the end of regulation time. As the exercise stretched beyond full time, Troy Elder produced a withering shot to which Devesh Chauhan offered the pads, As the ball bounced, he hit it again into the net to salvage some prestige for the Aussies.

Dismal display by Pakistan

Pakistan was overwhlemed by the second half blitzkrieg by the Australia `A' team after sharing two goals at half-time.

The `A' team struck four goals in this period, slamming in two in the first three minutes after resumption.

Overall, it has been a dismal show for Pakistan which had just one victory (1-0 against the `A' team at Wollongong) and a draw against India on Saturday, losing six other matches in the twin events put together. It is a pity that Pakistan finished fourth in both the tournaments.

Fielding the rookie goal-keeper, Salman Agbar, Pakistan suffered a second minute reverse from Ben Bishop. Rehan Bhat however neutralised the lead before half-time.

After the break, the `A' team struck, Lucas Judge and Grant Schubert scoring one each, followed by Nathan Eglington. Shakeel Abbasi reduced the lead, but Tristrom Woodhouse pumped in one more to give the `A' team a handsome victory to avenge the defeat sustained at Wollongong.

Ms. Pam Tye, President, Hockey Australia, and one of the Vice-Presidents of FIH, gave away the trophy.

The teams:

India: Devesh Chauhan (GK), Kamalpreet Singh (GK), Dilip Tirkey, Kanwalpreet Singh, Jugran Singh, Baljit Singh Saini, Bimal Lakra, Viren Resquinha, Ignace Tirkey, Vikram Pillay, Baljit Singh Dhillon, Dhanraj Pillay (Capt.), Gagan Ajit Singh, Prabhjot Singh, Tejbir Singh and Sandeep Micheal.

Australia: Stephen Lambert (GK), Martin Leon (GK), Jaime Dwyer, Lian de Young, Adam Commens, Micheal McCann, Brent Livermore (Capt.), Troy Elder, Ben Taylor, Robbie Hammond, Craig Victory, George Beven, Andrew Smith, Scott Webster, Aaron Hopkins, and Zain Wright.

Umpires: Craig Gribble (New Zealand) and Rana Liaquat (Pakistan).

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page

Stories in this Section

Keep off Ayodhya issue, PM tells political parties

Indians conquer Aussies

Opposition MLAs not to be paraded before U.P. Governor

2 policemen held for aiding suicide attack

Monsoon arrives, heat wave subsides

Militants kill 3 shepherds

Surie is new envoy to China

Train derails near Gaya