India and New Zealand played a 1-1 draw in the first Test of the Four Match Hockey series at the National Hockey Stadium at Wellington today.
New Zealand took the lead in the 3rd minute through captain Phil Burrows while India leveled the score in the 55th minute with a strike from S.V.Sunil.
The Kiwis who lost both their matches to India in the Punjab Gold Cup at Chandigarh earlier this month, played strongly in the first half and led 1-0 going into the break.
However India changed tactics and caught out the Black Sticks on defence and forced them to lose their accuracy. Until then India had employed a hard hit into the circle as the main means of attack. The switch to a short passing buildup caught the Kiwis unawares and Shivendra Singh slotted from close range past goalkeeper Stephen Graham.
India started brightly in the opening session forcing a penalty corner in the first minute when defender Richard Petherick fouled inside the circle. Sandeep Singh’s flick was well saved by Graham to his low right.
The Black Sticks took control of the game thereafter with well orchestrated midfield forays. Their 28 year old home town skipper Burrows playing his 212th international was the beneficiary of good work done by fellow striker Simon Child as he aptly scored from the right to break into the lead.
India was a transformed bunch in the second half and veteran Dilip Tirkey formed the backbone of their defence. His measured interceptions denied the opponents much headway in this session.
India missed three chances for the equaliser as the forwards Rajpal Singh, SV Sunil and Shivendra Singh were off target.
However it was Sunil who made amends in the 55th minute and restored parity after a set up by Arjun Halappa.
The second Test will be played here tomorrow.
Adhoc Committee Press Release