SCIENCE OF HOCKEY

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 128, 1 June 1935, Page 22

SCIENCE OF HOCKEY

THE INDIANS' EXAMPLE

The Indians are repeating the lesson given to New Zealand teams by their predecessors in 1926, namely, that hockey is a scientific game and not one mainly for hard hitting and all too frequiet wild passing. It has often been said that the heaviness of most of the grounds in this country necessitates hard hitting, but this was disproved by the Indians when they met Horowhenua on the Otaki Domain on Thursday. Horowhenua hit hard, as is their custom, and the Indians flicked and

pushed and scooped, and won all the way, although the ground was heavy and cut up rather badly. Keverse stick shots were executed with the greatest of ease, but it was the back passing that allowed the Indians to retain possession of the ball for the greater part-of the game. Horowhenua were completely at sea when confronted with this style of play, and at times it was ludicrous to see a Horowhenua player reach for the bal] when it was yards in front of him and being gathered irv by an Indian. Late, in'the match Horowhenua indulged in a certain amount of scoop, strokes, which gained ground immediately, but the nicety of stickwork necessary to take advantage of the scoop was lacking. . The wristwork of the Indians was delightful. There are a few players in Wellington who have something the same style of play, but they lack the accuracy of the' tourists in placing .the ball through openings with push strokes., This was one of the factors that led to the undoing of Horowhenua. Moreover, there was always perfect combination and understanding among the Indians, backs and forwards alike, and it was rarely indeed that a pass did not find an Indian right in position and ready to send the ball on. It might seem that in describing a match of this kind the names of Dhyan Chand and Rup Singh appear too frequently, and that more mention should be made of the players who give them their opportunities. But it is almost impossible to see beyond them on the field. They combine superbly and themselves make many of the opportunities from which they score. To see Rup Singh carry the ball into the circle on his stick and half-volley it for a drive at goal is a revelation. So is the accuracy of Dhyan Chand's drives at goal from corners. . One such drive at the Horowhenua goal on Thursday passed eight of the defenders. ■ Horowhenua are determined to profit by their lesson, strenuous though it was, and they have taken their beating in a very sportsmanlike way.