Pakistan hit by rest syndrome

PICTURE: Akhtar Ali (left)
By Shazad Ali

KARACHI: Pakistan hockey sank further into a deep morass on Thursday when it was revealed that three senior players have been asked by national hockey federation secretary Asif Bajwa to request for “rest” before Azlan Shah Cup.
According to Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary Asif, Pakistan captain Zeeshan Ashraf, Waseem Ahmad and Akhtar Ali have requested him that they want to skip the forthcoming event.
Sources, however, told Dawn.com that the three players along with Rehan Butt and Sohail Abbas were asked by Asif to take rest, suggesting they should make a request to the PHF that they were interested in playing only at major events.
While Waseem, Zeeshan and Akhtar, agreed, Sohail and Rehan have opted to join the Azlan Shah Cup training camp. Initially, even Rehan was reluctant to join the camp on the instructions of Asif, but later changed his mind when Sohail took a firm decision to report for training against the wishes of the PHF secretary.
In the present Pakistan hockey scenario, the claims by the PHF that players have requested for rest are obviously illogical since all the players including the seniors are willing to prove their mettle to be included in important assignments – Commonwealth Games and Asian Games later this year.
Sources say as PHF had apprehensions that some senior players including Waseem, Zeeshan and Akhtar might be dropped when the selection committee announces the squad for Azlan Shah Cup, it decided to ask the seniors to request for “rest.”
The Azlan Shah Cup training camp starts from Friday at Hockey Club of Pakistan, while the selection committee is likely to announce the squad on April 28.

Dawn

Jonathon Charlesworth to skip Azaln Shah Cup

Hockey Australia wishes to announce that Jonathon Charlesworth has withdrawn from the Kookaburras upcoming Azlan Shah Cup squad due to injury.
Charlesworth has a grade two tear of his left hamstring and therefore will not be able to participate in the tournament.
Queenslander and Australian Development Squad member Tim Bates has been named as Charlesworth’s replacement, an d will join Tim Deavin and Trent Mitton as making their international debuts at the tournament.
The Azlan Shah Cup will be held in Ipoh, Malaysia from 6-16 May with the Kookaburras set to take on Korea, Pakistan, China, India, Malaysia and Egypt.

Source: Hockey Australia

BJSS and BPSS go on rampage

BUKIT Jalil and Bandar Penawar sports school senior sides went on an eight-goal rampage against their respective opponents to stamp their mark in Division One of the MHF- Milo-NSC Junior Hockey League.
BJSS clobbered Kelantan 8-0, and not to be outdone, BPSS- Thunderbolt hammered Anderson of Ipoh also by the same margin.
National player Faizal Saari, 19, scored six goals for Thunderbolt in the 11th, 15th, 21st, 37th, 59th and 68th minutes. Firhan Ashaari scored the other two in the 17th and 70th minutes.
As for BJSS Faridzul Afiq Mohamad delivered a hat-trick (41st, 51st, 54th) while Ahmad Termidzi (fifth), Fitri Ismail (21st), Shahriman Zali (25th), Asraf Bahari (60th) and Khairul Naim (70th) scored a goal each.
BJSS coach S. Prakash, however, lamented that eight was not enough.
“We are tied on 12 points with Thunderbolt and UniKL, but both the sides have scored a massive 25 and 22 goals respectively, while we only have 15 after four matches.
“I believe the race to the title will be very close from here onwards, and goals scored will play a crucial role in the crowning of the league champion.
“From now, we not only need to keep winning, but also score as many as we can to keep pace with Thunderbolt and UniKL,” said Prakash.
RESULTS: Division One -- Bukit Jalil Sports School Juniors 0 Petaling Jaya City Council 4, BPSS-Thunderbolt 8 Anderson 0, Kelantan 0 Bukit Jalil Sports School 8.
Division Two: Tunku Besar Secondary School 2 Pahang 3, Kuala Selangor 3 Johor 2, Matri 5 Datuk Taha 1.
TOMORROW: Division One -- Petaling Jaya City Council v Bandar Penawar Juniors (Tun Razak, 8pm), Kelantan v Anderson (Terengganu, 5pm), UniKL v Bukit Jalil Sports School Juniors (KLHA Stadium, 5pm).
Division Two: Matri v Sabah (Alor Star, 5pm), Kuala Selangor v Ipoh City Council (Pandamaran, 5pm), Johor v Pahang (Johor Baru, 5pm).


DIVISION ONE

P W D L F A Pt
BP T’BOLT 4 4 0 0 25 3 12
UNIKL 4 4 0 0 22 5 12
BJSS 4 4 0 0 15 1 12
ANDERSON 6 3 0 3 11 20 9
BPSS JUNIORS 3 1 0 2 4 8 3
PJCC 4 1 0 3 7 12 3
BJSS JUNIORS 4 0 1 3 2 11 1
KELANTAN 4 0 1 3 3 24 1
MWHA 3 0 0 3 4 9 0


DIVISION TWO

P W D L F A Pt
TBSS 4 2 1 1 14 6 7
IPOH CC 3 2 1 0 7 2 7
SABAH 2 2 0 0 16 0 6
PAHANG 2 2 0 0 5 3 6
MATRI 3 1 0 2 6 5 3
K. SELANGOR 3 1 0 2 3 18 3
PG FREES 2 0 2 0 4 4 2
JOHOR 3 0 1 2 5 8 1
DATUK TAHA 4 0 1 3 3 16 1

FIH fix-tures place Malaysia in a fix

THE Malaysian Women’s hockey team left for Chile last night, with what little hope they had in the World Cup Qualifier shredded to pieces by a lop-sided fixture drawn up by the International Hockey Federation (FIH).
The national side will now play three matches back-to- back, and waiting for them in the third match are Australia who have been given a four-day rest to prepare for Malaysia.
The first tournament fixture had a final slotted in it, but the latest fixture from the FIH will see the Malaysian women play three matches in a row, and the tournament has been turned into a round-robbin affair, with the team that tops the standings given the ticket to play in the Argentina World Cup.
“I a surprised that the FIH has changed to fixtures and now there will no longer be a final, but the team with the most points after four matches gets the qualifier ticket.
“This is unfair because the Malaysian team has put in much effort to prepare for this tournament, and out initial target was to play in the final,” said Malaysian Women’s Hockey Association secretary S. Shamala.
And the fact that the Malaysian women will play three matches in a row, with Australia waiting for their tired limbs in the third match, did not go down well with the MWHA.
“We have written to the FIH for a change in fixtures because it is ridiculous to play three matches in a row, while Australia rest for four and a half-days and then play Malaysia,” said Shamala.
FIXTURES -- April 24: Chile v Australia; April 25: REST DAY; April 26: REST DAY.
April 27: Chile v Malaysia; April 28 Malaysia v Ireland; April 29: Ireland v Scotland, Australia v Malaysia.
April 30: Scotland v Australia; May 1 Malaysia v Scotland; May 2: Australia v Ireland, Scotland v Chile.

Vaisaki tournament back in Kenya

www.fihockey.org

The Vaisakhi International Hockey tournament returned on the Kenya Hockey Union calendar of events in 2010 after a five year break with two foreign teams from Pakistan and Ghana participating.
The tournament which is sponsored by the Sikh Community of Kenya has attracted a total of nine men and four women clubs. The tournament runs from 17-25 of April 2010. The men's teams are grouped in two pools. Pool A comprises Kenya's premier league champions Strathmore University, Green Sharks, Karate Axiom and visitors Ghana Customs. Pool B has visiting club Pakistan Customs, Wazalendo, Parklands, Kenya Police and Simba Nairobi.
The women teams include National champions Telkom, Strathmore, Vikings and Sliders. The women will play a round-robin format.

Results:
Saturday 17 April 2010
Telkom 4 Strathmore 1
Sliders 2 Vikings 1
Parklands 1 Wazalendo 1
Green Sharks 6 Karate Axiom 1
Ghana Customs 2 Strathmore 2

Sunday 18 April 2010
Telkom 4 Vikings 0
Simba Nairobi 4 Wazalendo 0
Kenya Police 4 Parklands 0
Ghana Customs 2 Strathmore 1

Monday 19 April 2010
Karate Axiom 1 Strathmore 5
Kenya Police 3 Wazalendo 0

Tuesday 20 April 2010
Pakistan Customs 2 Kenya Police 3
Karate Axiom 1 Ghana Customs 10