Indian women salvage a point

Prabhjot Singh

Tribune News Service

Hosts India survived a scare as plucky Scotland not only gave them jitters but also salvaged a valuable point in a pool A match of the women’s hockey competition of the 2010 Commonwealth games at historic Major Dhyan Chand national Stadium here this evening.

The 1-1 draw was not the home team hoping for launching its campaign for regaining the gold medal it had won in Manchester Games (2002) but lost to Australia in the 2006 edition at Melbourne.

Earlier in other games, all in women’s section, Black Sticks – New Zealand – blasted wales 5-1 while South Africans girls went on a scoring spree to notch up an impressive 12-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago. In the third game, Malaysia just managed to nose out Canada 3-2 in a cliff hanger.

The match of the day was, however, between India and Scotland. Fresh from its ninth position in the last World Cup, the home team was expected to romp home comfortable winners.

“The way Indian team struggled to get the equaliser in the second half after conceding the early lead was disturbing,” commented Olympian and former national coach Vasudevan Bhaskaran.

“When those who are expected to run and administer the game are caught in their own squabbles how they can expect a team left on its own to give its best,” rued Bhaskaran blaming the mismanagement for India’s unimpressive start.

Realising that India was a strong side, Scotland chose to play four defenders besides resorting to tight marking giving India’s scoring machine Ritu Rani and skipper Surinder Kaur little movement for manoeuvring their moves.

In the third minute when the Scotland took the lead, it baffled the home team. It was Holy Cram, who made full use of a slight defence lapse to get the target from the middle of the circle. Pint-sized Vikki Bunce not only had the Indian defence on its toes with her superb stick work and ball control but also created openings with her defence splitting passes.

After a listless first half in which India wasted a penalty corner, the home team swarmed all over its opponents territory for most of the time in the second half. Though Jasjeet Kaur Handa got them the much needed equaliser in the 46th minute with a top of circle reverse flick, others who tried to copy her style missed the Scottish goal on more than one occasions. Rani, Ritu Rani and even Jasjeet Handa, herself, missed good scoring chances late in the second half as the European side held its fort till the final whistle to earn a valuable point, thus denying the home team a clear three-point verdict it had been looking for.