New era begins in Canterbury hockey

Press, 29 April 1981, Page 42

New era begins in Canterbury hockey

By

KEVIN TUTTY

A new era in Canterbury hockey has started. One flimsey thread connects the 1981 Canterbury team with the highly successful teams of the early and mid-19705, and that thread will be broken later in the season.

Chris Maister is the only player from the champion sides of the 1970 s in the Canterbury team to contest the quadrangular tournament in Wellington at Queen’s Birthday Week-end. And he will be leaving mid-way through the season for an overseas trip. The Canterbury selectorcoach, Cyril Walter, now has a squad of players, relatively young in provincial experience, to mould into a side capable of winning the Challenge Shield at' the New-man’s-Adidas national

tournament at Whangarei in September. The team of 13 to play Wellington, Otago and Manawatu in the quadrangular tournament contains 10 of the side that was second at last year’s national tournament in Auckland, so is not entirely green. lan Riach, a New Zealand colt last year, and Ross Fowler, who moved to Christchurch from Auckland this season, are new caps, Dick Pettit has played for Canterbury previously, although not at the national tournament. He was captain of the Canterbury B team at the tournament last year. Balvant Bhana, has had the captaincy thrust on him, but will cope with the burdens it brings. He is not an extrovert- on the field, but more astute and firm in his comments.

Riach is a promising young forward and has gained his place probably at the expense of Steve Ambler, a member, of last year’s tournament team. A little more attention to his passing will make the energetic and skilful Riach a valuable member of the team.

The team for the quadrangular tournament is: Marty Fitzsimons; Robin Wilson, Ross Ambler, Greg Pierce, Dick Pettit, Ross Fowler, Craig Burtt; Warwick Shillito. lan Riach, George Carnoutsos, Balvant Bhana (captain), Mark Burtt, Chris Maister.

Fowler has been the best centre-half in the senior competition this season, and is likely to take over that role vacated by the retirement of Selwyn Maister last season.