BAD GROUNDS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19700, 4 August 1938, Page 6

BAD GROUNDS

STAND BY INDIANS NO PLAY UNLESS FIRM FAIRNESS TO PLAYERS EXPERIENCE IN WAIROA Following a bad experience in Wairoa on Tuesday, the Manavadar Indian State hockey team now refuses to play on any ground unless it is in suitable condition. The manager or the team, Professor Jagan Nath, made this statement this morning, when he said that he had been in touch with the New Zealand Hockey Association, which had given him full power to cancel any match if the' ground was unplayable. “If the ground is not in fit condition. we will not field a team.” the professor said. We do not intend taking any more risks.” He added that five of the lli players were already on the injured list. Two were only slightly hurt, but three inside forwards, the spearhead of the attack, were suffering from severely strained muscles, and they would not be fit to olay again for another 10 or 12 days, ' perhaps a fortnight. The third test was to be played in another three weeks, and it was necessary that those players Should be fit for that occasion. Injured Players The three suffering .the most severe strains were the centre forward. Feroz Khan, the inside left, Sultan Khan, who sustained his injury in the test match last Saturday, and the inside right, Abdul Latil', who suffered his strain in the Wairoa match on Tuesday. It was not fair to ask players to turn out under such conditions as those at Wairoa, the professor continued. The mud was so thick that it was impossible to make the ball travel any distance. The stronger Maori players in Wairoa had the advantage under such conditions, and were able to push the bail through the mud by sheer strength. On the other hand, to use the description given by one of the team: "We give a terrific hit, and the ball travels about two and a half inches.” The difficulties of the players were made worse by the long journey from Napier to Wairoa during the morning and a portion of the afternoon. After a trip of 5J hours, the team arrived in Wairoa with barely time to secure a hasty meal and take the field. The Gisborne Ground An inspection was made of the Childers Road Reserve by the professor yesterday afternoon shortly after his arrival, and he said he found the area then in good order, but following the overnight rain he would make a further inspection before finally deciding to take the field. The professor did not draw comparisons with any of the grounds in the Dominion, but, judging from reports from other towns, it seems that the Basin Reserve, Wellington, was the best encountered so far and the only one that has been entirely to the liking of the visitors.