HOCKEY

Southland Times, Issue 25312, 15 June 1935, Page 18

HOCKEY

MEN’S HOCKEY (By ‘Bully.”) THE GAME WITH THE INDIANS. WHAT WE CAN LEARN. '■ To-day is the day of days as far as hockey players in Southland are concerned. Ihe brilliant visiting team of Indian hockey players will demonstrate to the large crowd of spectators that will assuredly gather at Rugby Park to see them that hockey is a game of science and, above all, an attractive game to watch. There is no doubt that this team are worthily upholding their country’s claim of being the champion hockey players of the world, for that is what they are. The scores do not matter; it is the nature of the game that they play that counts, the positional play and ball control being a revelation. Their play simply goes to prove the old adage that if you can keep control of the ball you can score a goal when you want to. The Indians are popular not only because of the wonderfully high standard of their play, but also for their bright, happy nature, their evidence of culture and education, and their good conduct both on and off the field. As players of hockey the Indians are the real artists of the game. From the New Zealand viewpoint the best feature of the games has been that on the second half players have tried to copy the Indian shortpassing methods. The Indians rarely hit the ball hard; even the majority of their goals are scored from a pushshot, which is accurately guided into the corner of the net, giving the goalkeeper little chance. Some of Their Methods.

Reverse stick shots are executed with the greatest of ease but it is the back passing methods they indulge in that allows them to retain possession of the ball for the greater part of the game. The wrist work of the Indians is delightful. They trap the ball and never let it out of reach; this, together with the wristiness of their stick-work, makes it well nigh impossible to rob them of possession. Their positional play is the other great feature of their game. Always the ball goes to a man. If a forward is blocked the ball is sent back to a half; if a half cannot get the ball up to the forwards it goes on to another half or even to the full-back. And this is done through perfect understanding and perfect confidence that the man receiving the ball is in position and will do the right thing. At Christchurch they took the ball from one bully and not a Canterbury man touched it till the goalkeeper stopped the final shot.

It might seem that in describing matches in which the Indians are playing 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 (stated a northern writer). But it is almost impossible to see beyond tljem 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 halfvolley it for a drive at goal is a revelation. So is the accuracy of Dhyan Chand’s drives at goals from corners. One such drive at the Horowhenua goal recently passed eight of the defenders.

The following extract from the Dominion’s report of the Indian-Welling-ton match gives some idea of what Southland players will have to contend with to-day:— In the first half the crowd had not seen Dhyan Chand to the advantage they had expected, for the reason that the majority of India’s attacking movements had been from the wings chiefly the left-wing, so that the centre forward appeared not to be getting his due share of the ball. When the teams changed round the Indians , altered tactics, making the thrust this time from the centre. Thus Chand and Wells came into prominence.

Wellington set off at the start of the second half as they had begun the first. But India had the home forwards well marked, Masud and Nestor in the halves being the lions in their path. The wily Dhyan Chand ate up the yards with a brilliant run, the ball seeming to play round his stick like St. Elmo’s fire. Unselfishly, the captain passed across to Shahbudin on the right-winv. who in turn presented it back to Wells, whose finishing drive missed by inches. Within seconds Chand, with dazzling stickwork, edged the ball past Moore—a perfect goal. Chand continued to run through all onposition, and the spectators saw the “human eel” of winch they had read so much. With his amazing control of the ball he appeared to steal yards at ever/ stroke, and again coming into the Wellington circle shot a cunning ball into the net. Roars of appreciation from the crowd saw India in full command, each man demonstrating the pinnacle of art in stick-work.

Some Notable Players.

There can be no doubt that Dhyan Chand and Rup Singh are the best known members of a very talented combination of hockey players. Dhyan Chand or the “human eel” as he commonly is called was bom at Allahabad in 1903. It is an acknowledged fact that the world has never seen a better player. Having most wonderful stick work and timing, he seems to be just doing the work with a mere flick of the wrist. Cool and collected he moves about the field as if nothing, happens, even in the most trying conditions. He commenced playing hockey when only 14 and has played and won , trophies for the Army and the Jhansi Heroes in almost every part of India. He represented India in both 1928 and in 1932 at the Olympic Games which brought for India 'great laurels both on and off the field.

A brother of the famous Dhyan Chand is Rup Singh (Gwalior), who is 25 years of age, and began his hockey at Jubbulpore in 1910. He plays for the Jahansi Heroes, and represented United Provinces in the trial games in 1932. He played for India at the 1932 Olympics, and again at the Western Asiatic Games in 1934. An all-round sportsman with the team is Harbail Singh (Punjab). He has played first-class hockey in and outside Punjab, and is a lecturer at Khaka College, where he formerly captained the hockey club. He was a

member of the Punjab team which visited Afghanistan last summer. Considered the best outside right in India, Shahabuddin (Manavadar) is 26 Sears of age, and has been playing ockey for 14 years, having taken part in almost all of the big tournaments in India. He represented India against Afghanistan in the Western Asiatic Games in 1934, and is well up to Olympic Games standard. . The vice-captain of the team is M. N Masud (Manavadar), who captained the University at Delhi. For the last four years he has been captain of the Mana-, vadar State hockey team, and during his captaincy the team has won many tournaments. He can play anywhere in the half line. He is private secretary to the Nawab of Manavadar. The youngest member of the team is P. P. Fernandes (Sind), who was bom at Karachi and educated at St. Patrick’s School. He is just 20 years of age, «nd is a very promising Jef t wing and also a good cricketer. But for the brilliance of Dhyan Chand, F. C. Wells (United Provinces) would have represented India. He can play at inside right as well as being a very clever centre forward. He captained Bengal in the Olympic trials in 1928, and was vice-captain in 1932. Ohammad Husain, 23 years of age, has been a member of the Manavadar team for the last five years. He has great prospects as full-back for the next Indian Olympic team, and has also represented India at Soccer. Some Recollections. The visit of the Indian team to Dimedin last week-end recalled in the mind of Dr Monheimer, whilst chatting to a hockey enthusiast, the Indian team that toured Europe on the close of the Olympic Games in 1932, (states a writer in the Otago Daily Times). _ In the only test played at Munich, Germany, regarded as the leading hockey team of the Continent, lost to the visiting team by six goals to nil. He well recalls the thousands present, the excellent playing conditions—the hard, dry ground—and the “terribly rapid play.” As radio announcer, Dr Monheimer was at times “at a loss to give a clear, concise description of the fast game.” Originally, it was proposed to send a German hockey team to the San Francisco Olympic Games, but lack of funds failed to allow this project to be realized. Ultimately the money collected was handed over for the needs of the athletic teams. But the hockey associations of the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and France planned for a tour of the Indian team immediately after the. Games. The supremacy of the Indian team was demonstrated in the matches in Japan and later in the Games when they played against both Japan and the United States. From that time the Indians established a reputation on both continents for their high standard of play. On their return to Europe in August of the same year, the team commenced an arduous tour by defeating the Netherlands by high scores. At Cologne, Hamburg, Berlin, and Leipzig the provincial teams were soundly defeated, but all eyes were focused on the All-Germany-Indian match at Munich. Eventually, the visitors scored six goals to their credit. Dhyan Chand, who suffered a slight injury two days prior to the match, and his brother were members of this team that included three Englishmen. To indicate the fine spirit that prevailed during the visit, at the civic reception the team was presented with an oil painting of Munich from the authorities, and at the after-match dinner the British Consul was one of the chief guests, and the toast —‘God Save the King”—was the only one on the list. Dr Monheimer declared that Continental opinion held that English possessed the first team of Europe, but lor some reason the English team has never met the Indians. International hockeytests between Germany and England commenced in 1908, continued m 1909, but have since not been repeated, lhe score in these two tests was 12—ml ana 9—nil in favour of England. WOMEN’S NOTES. (By “Half Back.”) Representative Fixture. This Afternoon: Southland v. Eastern women’s representative match at 1.15 p.m. to be played at Rugby Park as a curtain-raiser to the Southland—AU India representative fixture.

“She is playing better than ever.” This is the opinion of Mr G. C. Hamilton, of Gore, regarding Rita Burt, the former Southland representative, now playing under the Otago Associations jurisdiction. Miss Burt was left fullback for Otago in the match against Eastern last Saturday at Dunedin and her characteristically powerful clearances repeatedly stemmed many a dangerous Eastern vanguard movement. A visitor in our midst for to-day’s hockey feast is Mrs J. S. Royds, now settled in Queenstown. Last season she was a prominent official of the local association and she will no doubt be an interested spectator at the curtainraiser. Local enthusiasts will welcome the opportunity of renewing friendship again with her. Unfortunately the unfavourable weather experienced diming the week has forced the Men’s Association to allot a ground other than the main one to the curtain-raiser game between Eastern and Southland this afternoon. 'This match will now be fought upon ,No. 2 ground, but under the circumstances the men’s executive had really no other alternative, though naturally noth that body and the women’s organization would have preferred to have pad the game on the main area had it peen at all possible. J Several of the visiting Indian players have accepted an invitation to attend, as guests of honour, the local association’s dance in Smith’s Hall tonight. The Eastern team will be the guests of the local executive at a dinner tonight in the Railway Hotel. Later, too, they will be present at the dance. Keen interest is being taken in the Eastern-Southland curtain-raiser match this afternoon. It is two or three years back since these teams last met in Invercargill and on that occasion, Eastern inflicted a heavy defeat on the Maroons. Last year at Christchurch, however, when the rival elevens met in the semi-final of one of the sections at the Dominion Tournament, Eastern ifound in their opponents much stronger (opposition and the tally in favour of ithe champions was 3-nil. Mr Hamilton i (Eastern’s manager) expressed the iopinion on that occasion that Southland gave them perhaps their hardest ■game at the fixture. Indeed, Marlborough, the Tournament finalists with Eastern, went down in defeat by three .goals to one. , , , , In the Eastern ranks to-day will be .four All Blacks—Mrs Reid, Mrs O’Connor and Misses Margaret Sanson and Alice McDonald. With the exception of K. Bond, who has been dropped in favour of J. Mcßain, the team will be the same as that which vanquished Otago last Saturday at the Dunedin curtain-raiser by two goals to nil. Both these goals were netted in the first spell; there was no further score after half time. On paper, the Southland team appears to be a well-balanced and capable of giving a good display against their formidable rivals. Each team will be determined to wrest a victory and the Maroons can be relied upon to fight their opponents the whole way. Three girls gained their Southland caps for the first time by their inclusion in. to-day’s team-J. Gray (left full-back), B. McCallum (left half), and J. Hagen (right wing)— and three of the four emergencies,

too, have hot previously represented their-province. Those three are J. Jack, M. McLeod and E. Sinclair. The emergency forwards were chosen for the wing positions. There are at least half a dozen girls who might be considered on the unlucky side in not being chosen for Southland, but it is early in the season yet and no doubt considerable alterations to the personnel will be made before the team goes north to ,the Dominion Tournament. Both in Town and in the Southern district are many promising players whose claims for inclusion in the representative team later in the season wiU have to be well considered. Southland Team. Mrs L. McNatty has been appointed captain and Miss Mary Mclntyre deputy captain of the Southland womens hockey representative team to play Eastern on Saturday. ! “A Haphazard Choice.” Under the heading “A Haphazard Choice,” a correspondent, under the signature of “Supporter,” has forwarded to this column the following criticism of the appointment ot the captain of the Southland team to play Eastern to-day: , , . As a follower of womens hockey m Southland over a number of years, 1 must congratulate the Southland selector upon the team chosen to play Eastern-Northern,' but who was responsible for the selection of the captain? I have nothing against Miss McNatty personally but it appears to me that her selection was rather illadvised—she is practically unknown to the majority of the players and can have no knowledge of the capabilities of the forwards. While it is often considered that the captain should be in the backs, this is by no means a castiron rule, as one has only to cite the case of Eastern Southland, the champion team: Mrs H. Reid is recognized as a wonderful captain. To my mind the logical choice was Miss Mary Mclntyre, whose experience cannot be equalled by any other player. Miss Mclntyre was captain of last year’s Southland team and proved herself highly efficient and capable.