HOCKEY POSTPONEMENT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19701, 5 August 1938, Page 7

HOCKEY POSTPONEMENT

"TERRIBLE CONDITIONS" INDIANS ANXIOUS TO PLAY N.Z. OFFICIAL'S VIEWS The postponement of the Indian hockey match in Gisborne to-day was decided upon after waiting until the last possible hour to see whether there was any likelihood of an improvement in the weather. Professor Jagan Nath. manager of the visiting team, and the players were anxious to carry on with the game if it was at all possible, and the decision was made only when it became evident that there would be no improvement in the weather or the condition of the ground. Mr. S. Burnell Brown, representative of the New Zealand Hockey Association travelling with the team, stated this afternoon that the postponement of the match was inevitable in view of the circumstances. Three of the Indian forwards. Sultan Khan, inside left. Feroz Khan, centre forward, and Abdul Latif, inside right, were at present suffering from strained muscles, and were undergoing treatment. The manager was concerned as to whether these men would be lit to play in the third test in three weeks, for they were the spearhead of the Indian attack. Foreign Conditions The remainder of the tour depended upon the ability of the visitors to field a team, and if they played further matches under bad conditions sufficient players might not be left to fill the 11 positions. "These conditions are absolutely foreign to the Indians," Mr. Browne continued. "To have played to-day wouid have been possible, but other members of the team undoubtedly wouid have suffered injuries, and it mignt have been impossible for the Indians to field a full team in la'ter matches. "I wish to express my regrets to the Hockey Association's officials, who had worked solidly and conscientiously, in preparing for the match, and to the residents of Gisborne in having to call the match off, but 1 want them to appreciate that our duty is to look after our visitors, and to compel them to play under such terrible conditions would have been asking too much. Tribute To Sportsmanship "Also I wish to express my sincere appreciation to Professor Jagan Nath and to the whole team for their desire to play the match under such bad conditions if it was at all possible. We inspected the ground at mid-day, when the field was flooded, and rain was still falling heavily. It was my wish then and there to abandon the game, and I want to express my great admiration for the sportsmanship of the visitors in wishing to carry on with the game. "Before coming to a decision to cancel the game, we waited until nearly 1 o'clock, when rain was still falling heavily without any sign of abatement. I hope, therefore, that the public will appreciate that everything possible was done to have the match played. "What I am worried about now is how I am going to get the team through to Napier to-morrow for Saturday's match against Hawke's Bay," Mr. Brown concluded. '"I have not yet received any reports regarding the road, but I anticipate trouble after tliis further rain." Mr. H. Le Bas, chairman of the Poverty Bay Hockey Association's executive, stated this afternoon that although the match had been postponed, the dance to be given this evening in honour of the Indians would be held as arranged. Afternoon at Pictures Members of the visiting team spent the afternoon at the Regent Theatre. They were guests at the King's Theatre last night. The team that would have been fielded against Poverty Bay to-day had been selected this morning as follows:—Goalkeeper, B. Abrahams; fullbacks, Fasahat Yar Khan and Gurnarairi Singh; half-backs. Mohamed Yahga Qurranshi, Lajpat Rai and A. Qavi; forwards, Shahabuddin, vicecaptain, S. M. Hussain, captain, M. Ahmad Khan, P. Fernandez and S. M. Sulaiman. Hockey Association's Loss The abandonment of to-day's game will result in a severe loss to the New Zealand Hockey Association, which had undertaken all financial arrangements in respect of the match here, except in the preparation of the ground, the cost of which was borne by the Poverty Bay Hockey Association. Gisborne is usually depended upon to provide a good "gate" at any international fixture in any sport, and the New Zealand association was relying on good public support on this occasion to recompense it for the heavy cost of travel between here and the main centres. There was no insurance on the game.