HOCKEY

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22464, 27 July 1938, Page 15

HOCKEY

STANDARD OF PLAY IN DOMINION INDIAN MANAGER LOATH TO COMMENT DIFFICULTY OF JUDGING ON MUDDY GROUNDS [IRE PRESS Special Service.] WELLINGTON. July 2E. Because of unfavourable condition* muddy grounds, rain, and an almost complete absence of playing fields in first-class condition. Professor Jagan Nath, manager of the Manavadar Indian hockey team at present touring New Zealand, which arrived in Wei- . lington this morning after fulfilling engagements in the South Island, is as yet unwilling to express any decided views on the standard of play in New Zealand. “We cannot judge our own play.* he said. “We cannot judge the play of our opponents, and I hesitate to make any remarks about the hockey so far, because the conditions have not been suitable for Vplaying good hockey. Those were the conditions ' in the test match and we cannot Judge the form of the test players. Perhaps we adapted ourselves more successfully to the conditions than did the New Zealand players. “Two of our best forwards have been injured by pulled muscles, because o I the sticky grounds, on which the - players cannot control themselves.'* be said. “We are finding ourselves in a quandary, in fact, and we don't know : what to do. Sultan Khan could not play in the last test oh that account, and Feroz Khan played on that day and injured himself in the first 10 minutes. For the rest oi the time he was a passenger. Until .we get * dry. ground in dry weather we cannot make a proper estimate of the players. _ “The hockey has been characterised here by a lot of rushing and shepherding particularly, and also shoving and body play, but I don’t know it is really the game that is being played or whether it is due to the conditions of the grounds, probably both. I hope we will experience some dry weather, particularly now that we are in the North Island, as in the South Island the frost makes the grounds slippery, greasy, sticky, and muddy, even if there has been no ram* The team left Wellington this morning for Feilding, where it will play to-morrow. The team win return to Wellington on Thursday and will meat New Zealand in the second test match on Saturday. In the previous test matches played at Wellington between Indian teams and New Zealand the Indians have always won. but the present test team feels confident that It will at least extend the visitors to their utmost The visitors have expressed the desire that no curtain-raiser be played on any ground on which they have to play, no doubt as a result of die poor condition of the grounds so far. After the test the Indian team will continue Its tear of the North Island and the concluding match will be the third test played at Auckland on August 27.