India women take on Scotland in hockey

S. THYAGARAJAN

THE STAR: Rani Rampal, who had a good run in the World Cup in Argentina, will be India’s main striker.

Assessing the factors that might contribute a medal for India in the women’s hockey competition starting on Monday is an interesting exercise.

That the team’s campaign in the Commonwealth Games is illuminating more than the men’s is a fact. A gold medal and a silver in successive Games in 2002 at Manchester and 2006 at Melbourne are results that require appropriate approbation.

As Surinder Kaur and her gallant women wait to lock horns against Scotland in a Pool ‘A’ tie, there is a speck of anxiety. A win will enhance the confidence gained recently with notching some significant victories, notwithstanding the scandal involving the coach.

Notably, the win against China in the Champions Trophy at Seoul is an enormous achievement as is the 3-3 draw against Germany in the four-nation tournament at Bremen.

Focus on teenager

While Surinder’s all round proficiency will be there for all to see, the focus is definitely on the teenaged star, Rani Ramphal, the second best scorer in the last World Cup at Rosario.

Her tally of seven (six field goals and one penalty corner) was next to the leader, Maartze Paumen of the Netherlands with 12 goals, eleven of them coming from penalty corners.

In the 14 meetings between the teams since 1953, India has won four times against the Scots, lost six, drew four. The first face-off was in 1953 at the Folkston invitation tournament where India lost 1-6. The last was in 2002 Manchester invitation, in which India won 4-1.

The Scots lean on the seasoned Linda Clement, a veteran of over 150 internationals, and goal-keeper Abu Walker, a London based surgeon.

India’s principal challenge in the Pool stems from the defending champion Australia, which has many new players after the poor show in the Rosario World Cup.

With two gold medals (1998 and 2006), the Aussies have an enviable record. Of the 18 played in the CWG, the Aussies have lost just one game.

If England is reckoned as the gold medal prospect, the reasoning is not misplaced. Two bronze medals at the World Cup and also in the Champions Trophy make England a force under the experienced Kate Walsh and Charlotte Craddock, the youngest player at the 2008 Olympiad in Beijing.

England’s only challenge in Pool ‘B’ can come from New Zealand, placed at seven in the World rankings. The highest rated squad in the competition is England at No. 5.

The Pools: ‘A’: Australia, India, South Africa, Scotland and Trinidad-Tobago; ‘B’: England, New Zealand, Canada, Malaysia and Wales.

Monday’s matches: New Zealand v Wales (10-30 a.m); South Africa v Trinidad and Tobago (12-30 p.m.); Canada v Malaysia (4 p.m.); India v Scotland (6 p.m.).