India defeats combined Queensland & NSW 8-1

Winger Rajpal Singh scored four goals including a hat trick as India whipped the Queensland and New South Wales State combine 8-1 in their Australia and New Zealand tour opener in high humidity and rain at the State Hockey Centre in Brisbane today.

The other goal scorers for India, who led 5-0 at the break, were Shivendra Singh (8th & 12th min), VR Raghunath (50th min) and Hari Prasad (57th min).

The Australian twin state team which was captained by Dean Butler and included renowned internationals Brent Livermore and Stephen Lambert had no answer to the repeated Indian onslaughts.

Rajpal opened the visitors tally in the 5th minute after medio Arjun Halappa and Tushar Khandker (This is the Correct spelling) moved in tandem towards the rival 23 meter area before setting up Shivendra Singh in the strike circle. The nippy forward relayed a square pass to Rajpal who shot home off the wrong foot past goalkeeper Lambert.

India held territorial sway throughout stunning the goodly crowd with their ball control and incisive manouvers in the midfield orchestrated by Sardar Singh, Halappa and Vikram Pillay.

The second goal was scripted shortly after through a sortie led by Khandker and Shivendra from the left flank with the latter getting the last touch.

India used both flanks with precision as Shivendra collected a long pass from Halappa and dribbled past two defenders before firing a reverse to increase the tally four minutes later.

The flair and fluency of the Indian attack continued as Rajpal Singh did the star turn thereafter thumping in the hat trick with goals in the 16th. 31st and 43rd minutes.His electric bursts and intelligent off the ball movements stole the thunder from the opponents.

Indian Coach Incharge Harendra Singh made rapid substitutions after the crossover to give all his players a feel of the conditions. Defender Raghunath was brought in for Sandeep Singh and the Bangalore lad did not disappoint scoring from India’s only penalty corner in the 50th min.

The Indian rampage went unhindered as striker Hari Prasad rounded off the tally seven minutes later.

The Quennsland-New South Wales Combine eventually scored a consolation goal by Ian Patterson in the 62nd minute from an open play set piece.

Coach Incharge Harendra Singh expressed happiness with the result and added that his team was adapting well to the climatic change from the winter at Chandigarh where they had lost to European champions Holland in the summit clash of the Punjab Gold Cup on Monday. He further said that well begun was half done.

India will clash with another combination of the Queensland and New South Wales State team here on Sunday.

IHF Ad Hoc Committee Media Release