HOCKEY TRIALS COMPLETED Four new “caps” chosen for World Cup

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33664, 14 October 1974, Page 32

HOCKEY TRIALS COMPLETED Four new “caps” chosen for World Cup

(By

K. R. TUTTY)

Four new caps were named in the New Zealand hockey team to play in the World Cup at Kuala Lumpur in March, after the Air New Zealand trials at the week-end.

One of the new players, M. Patel (Auckland), was a minor surprise, but the selection of the other three —C. G. Maister (Canterbury), B. Mellor (Auckland), and the 19-year-old B. Thorne (Northland)—was not unexpected.

G. J. Dayman (Auckland), at present working in London, is in the 16 named by the selectors (Messrs J. R. Gillespie, T. E, Blake and B. A. Turner). Auckland and Canterbury players comprise threequarters of the team; each I has six representatives. Wellington has two, and Northland and Otago one each. The team is:

P. D. Ackerley, A. Borren, A. Chesney, A. B. Ineson, R. L. McHarg, Maister (all Canterbury); D. Applbey, J. V. Archibald, Dayman, Mellor, M. Patel, R. U. Patel (all Auckland); A. Mclntyre, T.

]W. Manning (both Wellington); A. Parkin (Otago); [Thome. Ineson will captain the team in the absence of S. G. Maister, the regular New Zealand leader of the last two years. Mclntyre is the vice-captain. Although a youthful side, it is rich in experience of international hockey. Ten have played at either a World Cup or Olympic Games, and five of these have played in both. Ackerley and Appleby were members of the New

Zealand team at the international tournament in Christchurch last February. A feature is the selection of Maister. He is the last of three brothers to represent New Zealand. Selwyn and Barry Maister have been stalwarts of international sides for six years but were unavailable this time. Although he played well in Saturday’s trial at Queen Elizabeth II Park, Maister did not do so well in the final trial at Lincoln College yesterday. Playing on the right wing, he missed several traps with an open field

ahead of him. But his energetic back-tackling and his ability to combine with other forwards counted strongly in hiss favour. Canterbury’ halves As expected the half-line is composed of Canterbury players — Ackerley, Borren, Chesney and Ineson. Borren, better known as a forward, played in both departments in the trials. M. Patel’s choice as a fullback ahead of N. Coster (Canterbury) was controversial. Playing in the difficult left-back position, Coster had a very good week-end and was the unluckiest of those to miss selection. Thorne displayed extreme maturity for a 19-year-old full-back, but he and Patel will find World Cup competition a different proposition. Top goal-keepers McHarg and Manning were the obvious choices for the goal-keeping positions. While neither was spectacular, both blocked many .speeding shots and made numerous lunging saves. The experience and skill of Appleby, Archibald, Mclntyre, Parkin and Patel had made them certainties, and they lived up to their reputations at the week-end. Mellor did little wrong with the many opportunities he had on the right wing. His dribbling, passing and trapping were all of a high standard.

G. Marshall (Canterbury) had a good chance of selection, but the trials were not an occasion he woulji want to remember. At left-back and left-half, hi>s form was below its best.