Hard to hunt Kiwis

10/05/08
TODAY -- Canada v India (4pm), Malaysia v New Zealand (6pm), Pakistan v Argentina (8pm).
TOMORROW: Belgium v India (4pm), Canada v Pakistan (6pm), Malaysia v Argentina (8pm).
NEW Zealand has always been a bogey team for Malaysia, and coach Sarjit Singh aims to break the jinx today at the Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh. New Zealand beat Malaysia 1-0 in the Madrid Olympic Qualifiers in 2004, and then again 4-1 in the China Olympic Qualifiers in 2006, and we fared miserably after that in both the Qualifiers.
"This is the first time we will be playing New Zealand since I became national coach, and from what I see in the NZ-India (NZ win 4-3), and NZ-Pakistan (Pakistan win 6-3) matches, they have a formidable side, and we will have to play well above our normal capabilities to beat them," said Sarjit.
Malaysia played a superb match against Pakistan, and today's match will prove weather the team has consistency or not. And then there is the Kiwi penalty corner drag-flicker Hayden Shaw, who has always been a thorn in Malaysia's side. He was instrumental in Malaysia's defeat in both the Qualifiers.
"We will have to stop Shaw for sure, as he is a very consistent penalty corner flicker. The priority will be to minimise penalty corner give-aways, and when we do, the first runner will have to work extra hard to stop Shaw," said Sarjit.
New Zealand, Canada, Pakistan and Belgium are Beijing Olympic teams, while India, Malaysia and Argentina are the three who missed the cut, and are on a morale re-building stage.
"For me, not only do I want a good finish in the Azalan Shah Cup, but I also want to see players improve from what they were in the Japan Qualifiers. I will use this tournament as an appraisal, and those who choose to remain in the shadows, will find themselves left out in the next tournament," warned Sarjit.
So far, Argentina and Pakistan have been the most impressive sides in the Azlan Shah Cup, and they will clash in the last match of the day, in what is expected to be a cracker of an encounter.
India have been a total letdown, but that is only to be expected, as the team selection was done at the eleventh hour due to turmoil back home in the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) which saw the removal of their president K.P.S. Gill and secretary Jothi Kumaran by the Indian Olympic Council.
India, in the two matches they have played here, have relied too much on drag-flicker Sandeep Singh, while the forwards have been blunt and of no help at all.