Miskimmin loses captaincy

Press, 4 April 1989, Page 48

Miskimmin loses captaincy

By

KEVIN TUTTY

The removal of Peter Miskimmin as captain of the New Zealand hockey team is the greatest surprise in the squad named yesterday to play in the Inter-Continental Cup in the United States in July. Miskimmin, from Wellington, has been the New Zealand captain for the last two years, but has been replaced for this tour by Peter Daji, of Auckland.

Kevin Towns (Auckland), the new coach of the team, said last evening there were two reasons for the change in the captaincy.

Miskimmin would be occupied setting up attacking play for the forwards and Daji, who lives in Auckland, would be more accessible to Mr Towns. “It’s just an unfor-

tunate provincial problem.”

Three new caps are included in the team — Grant McMinn and Chris Johnson from Wellington, and Paresh Patel from Auckland. McMinn, a goalkeeper, won his place with a series of competent performances for Wellington at the Auckland Easter tournament. Jeff Garnett (Bay of Plenty), who toured Australia last year, had an unhappy tournament for the President’s XI at Easter and has been dropped. lan Woodley (Auckland), the other goalie in Australia last year, and who produced only mediocre form then, has been retained.

Goalkeeping, which for many years was a strength of New Zealand teams, is now an area of

concern. Johnson, the Wellington right-wing, has won his place on merit. Fast and skilful he combines well with Peter Miskimmin, the likely in-side-right. This pair will bear much of the attacking burden in the team. Patel, a halfback, has been included probably at the expense of Greg Pierce (Canterbury). Back in the team are Brent Miskimmin, a brother of Peter, now living in Auckland, and Grant McLeod (Northland), who was not available last year because of a leg injury.

Richard Schoeman (Canterbury), who played in the Indira Gandhi Gold Cup tournament in Lucknow in January last year, but was not chosen for the Australian tour, is back.

Mr Towns said that Schoeman had shown he could score goals and he

will be played at centreforward for that purpose. It would leave Daji free to play in other striking positions, said Mr Towns. “It’s a long time since we had two strikers in the national team with their touch. What we want is for both to be on form for the whole tournament.” The Inter-Continental Cup in Madison, New Jersey from July 7 to 17 is vital to New Zealand. It must finish in the top five to secure a place in the World Cup in Pakistan next year. The team is: Daji (captain), Woodley, Chan Chhiba, Brent Miskimmin, Anthony Thornton, Chris Brown, Patel, Mark Kake, Mark Leaver (Auckland); McMinn, Johnson, Peter Miskimmin (Wellington); McLeod (Northland); David Penfold, Chris Leslie, Schoeman (Canterbury).