India’s chances in jeopardy after loss to Australia

S. THYAGARAJAN

India slipped into the grey zone in women’s hockey on Wednesday. The threat of not making it to the semifinal looms large as, lacking in proficiency and professionalism, it suffered a 2-1 reverse against the defending champion, Australia.

Owner of the silver from 2006 and the gold before that, India’s hopes of a podium finish hang by a thread. By no stretch of imagination is a solitary point in two matches a comfortable situation.

Australia and South Africa have six points each.

Opportunities lost

India should have struck within 10 minutes. Exerting pressure following a handful of fluent cross passes by Saba Anjum, India forced five penalty corners in as many minutes. But over-elaboration rendered the execution ineffective.

After that, the team lost focus and failed to make much headway against a new-look Aussie squad.

If the margin is narrow then a large measure of credit must go to goal-keeper Dipika Murty. The Aussies forced as many as 10 penalty corners, and the custodian brought off several smart saves.

Shelly Liddelow’s goal, midway through from a neatly packaged pattern was the pep that the Aussies needed just then.

Clinging on to the lead and cutting off every effort of the opponent to combine, the Aussies netted the second when Megan Rovers tapped in a cross from Kate Hollywood.

That signalled the defeat for India. But Rani Ramphal pulled one back after weaving in nicely, fastening on to a pass from Surinder Kaur in the dying minutes.

Fingers crossed

Frank Murry, the Aussie coach, attributed the patchy show to bad scheduling of two matches in less than 24 hours. His Indian counterpart, Sandeep Somesh, said there was no option but to “keep the fingers crossed.”

Canada caused more than the expected problems and unsettled England’s rhythm considerably in Pool B. A shocked England defensive phalanx stood helpless as Canada obtained the lead from a stroke by Diana Roemer.

Predictably perturbed, England applied more pressure enforcing a spate of penalty corners one of which resulted in Chloe Rogers restoring parity from a penalty corner.

England had the whip-hand throughout the second half, netting three more goals to keep its medal hopes on track.

On the men’s side, defending champion Australia walloped Scotland 9-0 — the verdict an indication of how unequal the contest was.

Silver medallist in the last edition, Pakistan produced an inspiring display while recording its second successive victory in Pool A when it overwhelmed Malaysia, bronze medal winner in Melbourne 2006, by four goals to one after being level at 1-1 at half-time. Pakistan has six points.

The result:

Men:

Pool A: Pakistan 4 (Muhammad Imran, Shakeel Abbasi, Rehan Butt, Waqas Mohammad ) beat Malaysia 1 (Amin) HT 1-1.Australia 9 (Luke Doerner 3, Chris Cierello 2, Rob Hammond, Trent Mitton, Simon Orchard, Desmond Abbott) bt Scotland 0.

Pool B: England 4 (Simon Mantell 2, Ashley Jackson, Alistair Brongdon) bt Trinidad and Tobago 0.

New Zealand 4 (Hayden Shaw, Phil Burrows, Stephen Jenness, Nick Wilson) bt South Africa 2 (Norris Jones, Justin Ross).

Women: Pool A: Australia 2 (Shelly Liddelow, Megan Rivers) bt India 1 (Rani Ramphal).

Pool B: England 4 (Chloe Rogers, Alex Danson, Charlotte Craddock, Crista Cullen) bt Canada 1 (Diana Roemer).