TO-DAY’S HOCKEY

Southland Times, Issue 25312, 15 June 1935, Page 8

TO-DAY’S HOCKEY

INDIA v. SOUTHLAND 4 • — GREAT INTEREST IN MATCH BRILLIANT DISPLAY EXPECTED Exceptional interest throughout Southland is being taken in the match at Rugby Park this afternoon between the All-India hockey team and a Southland eleven. The eleven can. be relied upon'to accept the challenge of the brilliant visitors in a stout-hearted manner and the match will doubtlessly be crammed with incident from start to finish. The Indians have won every match played so far in New Zealand by a decisive margin, and in a game in which they excel as the world’s champions their display should be a memorable one. According to advance reports the visitors provide lessons of incalculable value regarding what can be achieved by training, practice and the acquisition of combination and understanding. Though the weather was dull yesterday, the ground at Rugby Park has dried out well and conditions for today’s game are promising. It is intended to stage a curtain-raiser between the Eastern women s hockey team (the Dominion champions) and an eleven representative of Southland, and if the main playing area continues to improve in the meantime the officials in charge may grant permission for this game to be played in front of the grandstand. It may be necessary, however, to use the No. 2 ground for the curtain-raiser. . The manager of the visitors had not finally selected his team for the big match yesterday, but the side will be chosen from the following: P. Dass, P. P Fernandez, Shahabuddin, L. Davidson M. D. Hussein, T. Blake, Rup Singh, Rashid Ahmed, M. J. Gopalan, W A. Malem, N. Mukerjee, E. Nestor, Dliyan Chand, M. N. Masud and F. Wells. The Southland team is as follows: V. Taylor (goalkeeper); R. Jenkins and E. Brown (full-backs); Scmmens, Dakin, captain, and Barraclough (halfbacks); Rennick, Hughes, Paterson, Shields and Souness (forwards). There is no doubt that the public will be roused to a high pitch of enthusiasm by the Indians style of play. Thrill will follow thrill as the Indians work together to trick the defence with the amazing accuracy of their flicked passes and their almost uncanny anticipation and ball control, which have electrified crowds in the north. Perfect positional play and complete understanding are stated to be the keynotes of the visitors’ play which will be a revelation to those who understand the same and an experience to those who do not. The halves, it is said are machine-like in their activity and the snake-like darts of the full-backs as they repulse the best efforts of the opposing vanguard have really to be seen to be fully appreciated. Only accuracy in every detail can have made the team what it is—no fumbling, no stopping to aim and the certainty that the next man will be in his proper place if a pass be sent to him. The record of the All-India team to date is as follows: —

v. Dannevirke, won 21—nil. v. Hawkes Bay, won 17—nil. v. Poverty Bay, won 11 —nil. v. Wairoa, won 18 —1. v. Bush Union, won 6—nil. .v. Wanganui, won 18—nil. v. Manawatu, won 22—2. v. Horowhenua, won 16—nil. v. Wellington, won 10—1. v. Canterbury, won 5—2. v. South Canterbury, won 12—nil. v. Otago, won 17—nil. v. North Otago, won 16—1. The Curtain-Raiser. Much interest will centre around the curtain-raiser, for it is some two or three years since the Eastern and Southland women players last met on a local hockey field. Eastern, as the champion team, will be out to maintain their fine record, but the Maroons are expected to fully extend them. The last occasion when these friendly rivals crossed sticks was at the Dominion tournament held in Christchurch last year when, in the final of their section, Eastern defeated Southland by three goals to nil. In the ranks of Eastern will be four players who have just been selected to represent New Zealand on the tour in Australia, these being Mrs A. O’Conner (goalkeeper), Miss Alice McDonald (full-back), Miss Margaret Sanson (half-back) and Mis H. Reid (centre forward), who will captain the New Zealand team. Their play will doubtlessly be watched with interest. Strength will be lent to the Southland team by the inclusion oi Misses Mary Mclntyre, Myra Gerken and Myra Belsham (ex-Eastern Southlanders) and several other members oi what, on paper at any rate, would appear to be a well-balanced eleven.