Hockey FIRST TEST TODAY

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28559, 12 April 1958, Page 7

Hockey FIRST TEST TODAY

Pakistan Team Announced. Nine Olympic . players are included in the Pakistan hockey team to play New Zealand in the first test match at Lancaster Park today. • The team is: H. Zakir; A. Munir, Khurshid; G. Rasul. A. Anwar, H. Kiddie; N. Alam. A. Hamid (caplain). R. Habib. A. Naseer, R. Latif. The team was announced by the Pakistan captain last evening. “I am neither optimistic nor pessimistic," Hamid said of the team’s prospects for the test. “You never can tell in a match.” "‘The New Zealand team is in fine fettle,” said the Coach of the New Zealand team (Mr E. S. Hobson) yesterday. “The strongest team will be on the field and will put on a good show. Our aim is to win. of course, but if we do better then five-one (the Olympic Games score) we will be satisfied," he said. The experience gained, especially by the young players, would stand them ,in very good stead for the second and third tests, Mr Hobson sbid. “The match should be as good a game as any seen here for many years, having due respect for the Pakistanis' brilliance," he said. The New Zealand team will not be known until today. The captain and three other North Island players will remain in Christchurch and attend with the Canterbury members of the team an official dinner in honour of the Pakistanis tonight. Mr I. A. Abbasi, the Director of Railways in Pakistan, will arrive in Christchurch this morning to take over the, managership of the Pakistan team.

RETIREMENT OF MR, E. M. CUMMINS

After serving on the board jof management bt the New Zealand Hockey Association for 20 years. Ml E. M. Cummins will not seek re-election at the annual meeting of the association this year. At the board’s meeting last evening members paid tribute to his long service to hockey in New Zealand.