Poland holds Pakistan to draw in hockey

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33783, 4 March 1975, Page 28

Poland holds Pakistan to draw in hockey

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright)

KUALA LUMPUR.

Australia trounced Ghana 9-0 in the third World Cup hockey tournament, while the unranked Poland provided the first major shock by holding the Asian Games champion, Pakistan, to a 2-2 draw.

After the quiet opening with Malaysia and New Zealand playing a scoreless draw, the Poles added a new twist to the group A prospects with their surprise performance'at the northera resort town of Penang.

The Poles, only recently joining the world hockey ranks, have said little of their chances, but provided eloquent testimony of their real ability .in holding the formidable Pakistani’s stong challengers for this year’s championship. They led 1-0 at half-time and added a penalty-corner goal by Stefan Otulakowski before the Pakistanis came back with two goals, one by Manzoorul Hassan off a short comer and the other by Samiullah.

Australia, bidding for a semi-final place, came up against little resistance from the African champion, Ghana, in the group B series.

Graeme Walter the centreforward, was the star, scoring four goals —- including a hat-trick — off a Ghanaian defence which could find no answer to the close combination and passing of the Australian forwards in the match at Penang.

Australia’s other scorers were Greg Browning (2), Trevor Smith, lan Cooke, and Steve Marshall. The fourth match of the day, a Group A fixture between the defending champion, the Netherlands, and the European champion, Spain, had to be postponed because of a tropical thunderstorm.

Bomos (Malay medicine

men) hired by the organisers of the tournament to ensure good weather, had red faces.

The 20-minute storm broke immediately after the earlier match in which India beat England 2-1. The last 10 minutes of that game was played amid gathering clouds accompanied by flashes of lightning and bolts of thunder. Bomos are usually called to perform traditional rites to keep away rain on important occasions. INVITATION Meanwhile, India has invited Pakistan to send a team to the Ranjit Singh Gold Cup hockey tournament in Punjab in October, the Associated Press reported. Asian diplomats said that if Pakistan accepted it would be another step towards strengthening the weak ties between the two nations.

Balbir Singh, manager of the Indian team said he had invited Pakistan and the other 10 nations taking part in the tournament to the Punjab meeting. Canada and the United States are also being invited.

The manager of the Pakistan team (Anuar Ahmad Khan) said: “Our players are very keen to take part.” But he added that the team could go only if the Pakistan Government gave its approval. Mr Anuar said he had told Mr Balbir to send the invitation formally to the Pakistan Hockey Federation, which could then seek Government approval. In the last few years no

Surf life-saving.—Mr H. J. K. Farey (Wellington) has been appointed by the New Zealand Surf Life-saving Council as its delegate to the World Life-saving Council annual meeting in Hong Kong from April 15-18.

Pakistan national team has toured India for any sporting events.