Thunderbolt strike paydirt

BANDAR Penawar Sports School-Thunderbolt snatched the MHF-Milo-NSC
Division One title from the grips of newcomers UniKL when they scored
the equaliser with 30 seconds remaining in the match.
The title-battle ended 1-1, but Thunderbolt had 22 points from eight
matches, while UniKL had only 20 to show.
It was the first Division One League title for Bandar Penawar, who made
their debut in 2004.
"I can't ask for more from my players, as we controlled the match but
just failed to score. It was a great show from my boys, who trained for
only one month, against a sports school outfit," said UniKL coach I.
Vickneswaran.
Thunderbolt coach Wan Roslan Rahman said: "We only came to live in
the last five minutes, and it was a lucky goal scored 30 seconds from time.
However, a win is a win, and now we look foward to the knock-out stage."
The first half was a drab affair, as most of the play was centred around
midfield and players from both sides could not even trap the ball properly.
UniKL had a handful of chances, but poor shooting saw them entering
the dressing room without scoring.
BPSS-Thunderbolt won the only penalty corner of the half in the 32nd
minute, and all eyes were on national player Faizal Saari. However, the
chance was wasted as the stopper failed to trap the ball.
Faizal got his chance in the 40th minute, when Thunderbolt won their
second panalty corner, but his powerful drag-flick hit the post and went
crashing out.
UniKL upped the tempo and received their first penalty corner in the
45th minute, but the flick by Sabri Mohamed sailed over the bar.
There were plenty or near misses after that, but no goals to show as the
clocked showed eight more minutes ramaining for Thunderbolt to be
declared as the new champions.
However, the game suddenly came to live in the last five minutes of the
match, as UniKL went looking for the elusive goal.
And in the 67th minute, Hizzat Sumantri connected home a cross and
suddenly, the title looked like it belonged to the newcomers.
But tragedy struck, with 30 seconds to regulation time, when
Thunderbolt went on the attack and a cross from Nazrin Yahya was
connected home by Fariq Saadon and the southern sports school players
finally hit paydirt.
RESULTS: Division One -- Bukit Jalil Sports School 5 MWHA 1, UniKL 1
Thunderbolt 1; Division Two: Ipoh City Council 2 Pahang 3, Datuk Taha 4
Penang Frees 4.
SUNDAY: Division Two: Sabah v Penang Frees (Pandamaran, 5pm).

DIVISION ONE

P W D L F A Pts
THUNDERBOLT 8 7 1 0 37 6 22
UNIKL 8 6 2 0 33 8 20
BJSS 8 5 2 1 24 7 17
PJCC 8 4 1 3 20 15 13
BPSS JUNIORS 8 3 1 4 12 16 10
ANDERSON 8 3 1 4 14 28 10
KELANTAN 8 1 3 4 11 34 6
BJSS JUNIORS 8 1 1 6 5 25 4
MWHA 8 0 0 8 8 25 0

DIVISION TWO

P W D L F A Pts
SABAH 7 6 0 1 32 7 18
PAHANG 8 7 0 1 33 14 21
IPOH CC 8 5 2 1 24 8 17
TBSS 8 4 2 2 23 11 14
MATRI 8 3 1 4 14 14 10
FREES 7 2 3 2 19 18 9
DATUK TAHA 8 1 2 5 13 30 5
SELANGOR 8 1 0 7 6 45 3
JOHOR 8 0 2 6 12 29 2

Mines on a Tiger hunt

By Jugjet Singh

THE Mines Resort and Golf Club might see the return of Tiger Woods, whose last sighting there in 1999 earned him the World Cup stripes together with Mark O’Meara.
The Tiger bait is US$6 million CIMB Asia Pacific Classic, which is part of the US PGA Tour.
Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew, founder of the Mines City, was optimistic yesterday that the World No 1 might make a comeback to Malaysia.
“Woods is on the trail of making a comeback, and I feel he would be among the 40 golfers who will be at the Mines. Anyway, I would be personally writing to him soon because I am sure his fans in Asia would want to watch him play here again,” said Lee.
And the good part is, according to Lee, sanctioning fee would be out of the picture.
“The last time we had to pay a sanctioning fee to get him here, but with the tournament being part of the PGA Tour, if he comes, it will purely be on merit. And another good news is that we will be hosting the tournament for the next seven years, and if not this year, I am sure Tiger will come in the near future,” said Lee.
The tournament will be held on Oct 28-31 with no halfway cut as only 40 golfers will be involved.
The top 25 available PGA Tour players from the FedExCup standing, the top 10 from the Asian Tour and five sponsor exemptions will make-up the cast.
Yesterday Steve Wenzloff, the PGA Tour vice-president Design Services and Player Liaison, visited the course to start some minor changes to the Mines.
“The overall appearance and conditions of the golf course is good. However, a few minor adjustments are being recommended to restore aspects of the original design with the intent of making it more interesting and elevate the stature of the facility,” said Wenzloff.
Other than the World Cup, the Mines has hosted the 2000 Women’s World Cup and the 2003 Malaysian Open.

Faizal or Sabri...

AFTER seven years, the MHF-Milo-NSC Junior Hockey League will see a new Division One champion emerge at the Kuala Lumpur HA Stadium today.
Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS), who have been dominating the JHL since 2003, will end third irrespective of how they fare against the Malaysian women’s hockey team (MWHA) in their final pool match today.
The title toss this season will be between newcomers UniKL and Bandar Penawar Sports School-Thunderbolt.
And both teams have vital cogs to depend on for the goals, as Thunderbolt’s Faizal Saari and UniKL’s Sabri Mohamed (pic) have scored 13 goals each in the JHL.
Faizal also has the advantage of having played and scored goals at the World Cup qualifier last year, and the recent Azlan Shah Cup.
The interesting fact about the goal-machines is that Faizal is a striker who is also deadly during penalty corners, while Sabri is a defender who converts through penalty corners. Sabri will have to work extra hard to stop Faizal, and then score when his mates win penalty corners.
UniKL coach I. Vickneswaran believes the encounter will be played at a punishing paced from the first whistle.
“We are the new kids in JHL, and I am proud of my boys who are within touching distance of the Division One title.
“It will not be easy, as my defenders will have be be extra careful as Faizal was in super form in the Azlan Shah Cup, and has experience scoring playing in a highly charged atmosphere,” said Vickneswaran.
Thunderbolt coach Wan Roslan Rahman said: “We have the players, and with a right attitude in this crucial match, I believe my boys will not disappoint our fans.”
The quarter-finalists have been decided and they are Thunderbolt, UniKL, BJSS, Petaling Jaya City Council and BPSS Juniors from Division One while from Division Two, the teams are Sabah, Pahang and Ipoh CC.
The knockout stage will begin on Tuesday, and the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) have done away with the initial plan to play home-and-away because of the Malaysia Games.
The knockout stage will be held for six days from May 25- 30. The quarter-finals will be played on May 25, the semi- finals on May 27 and the final on May 30.
TODAY: Division One -- Bukit Jalil Sports School v MWHA (Tun Razak Stadium, 5pm), UniKL v Thunderbolt (KLHA Stadium, 5pm); Division Two: Ipoh City Council v Pahang (Azlan Shah Stadium, 5pm), Datuk Taha v Penang Frees (Tampin, 5pm).
SUNDAY: Division Two: Sabah v Penang Frees (Pandama ran, 5pm).


DIVISION ONE

P W D L F A Pts
THUNDERBOLT 7 7 0 0 36 5 21
UNIKL 7 6 1 0 32 7 19
BJSS 7 4 2 1 19 6 14
PJCC 8 4 1 3 20 15 13
BPSS JUNIORS 8 3 1 4 12 16 10
ANDERSON 8 3 1 4 14 28 10
KELANTAN 8 1 3 4 11 34 6
BJSS JUNIORS 8 1 1 6 5 25 4
MWHA 7 0 0 7 7 20 0

DIVISION TWO

P W D L F A Pts
SABAH 7 6 0 1 32 7 18
PAHANG 7 6 0 1 30 12 18
IPOH CC 7 5 2 0 22 5 17
TUNKU BESAR 8 4 2 2 23 11 14
MATRI 8 3 1 4 14 14 10
FREES 6 2 2 2 15 14 8
DATUK TAHA 7 1 1 5 9 26 4
SELANGOR 8 1 0 7 6 45 3
JOHOR 8 0 2 6 12 29 2

Save Azlan Shah Cup from becoming sideshow

Comment by Jugjet Singh

GERMANY, the Netherlands, Spain, Australia .... these were some of the teams that used to play in previous editions of the Azlan Shah Cup with full-strength sides.

But sadly, the past few seasons saw this prestigious tournament becoming a blooding ground for their young players, and the organising committee is actually condoning it.
I have witnessed this Invitational meet turn from an exciting world class event, which was almost on par with the Champions Trophy, to what it is today -- an avenue for experiment.

And the experiment does not stop at the players alone, as it looks like the International Hockey Federation (FIH) is also using it to train foreign officials and umpires, with the latter making a mess of the tournament.

When the late Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) secretary S. Satgunam was alive, India had wanted to send their second team to play in the Azlan Shah Cup a year after the Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games in 1998.
After reading the faxed team list, this scribe was fortunate to witness Satgunam pick up the telephone and give an ultimatum to the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) secretary Jyothi Kumaran.

Satgunam had then said: "You have given me a list of your second team and this is very unbecoming of IHF. Fax me your best in one hour, or I am pulling the plug on India and inviting the reserve team instead."
Inside 30 minutes, IHF faxed the names of their their best 18.
Egypt, the whipping boys, were invited specially by Sultan Azlan Shah and that is his prerogative.

However, allowing world champions Australia to field only four players who helped them win the title in New Delhi is unbecoming.
Pakistan had 12 Junior World Cup players, while India fielded 11 World Cup players, South Korea and China also took this opportunity to try new hands.
Malaysia, with many players on the injury list, also had a diluted team for the 19th edition.
From the outside, it looks like the proximity to the World Cup, and being held in May instead of earlier in the year, has taken the glamour out of this edition, but the organising committee should take this as a lesson, and if they have to, hold it later in the year so that the best players can represent the invited teams and return the glamour that was conspicuously missing.

Perfect balance in the wings

Players of joint champions India and South Korea celebrate with officials. — Picture by Ikhwan Munir

MALAYSIAN players set a new benchmark in the just-concluded Azlan Shah Cup, and with re inforcement from the injury list and those playing abroad, a well-balanced side is expected to play in the Commonwealth and Asian Games.

Three young players who were given the chance by coaches Stephen van Huizen and Tai Beng Hai also rose to the occasion, and should make it more difficult for other aspirants to join the national side.
Marhan Jalil, 20, Izwan Firdaus, 21, and Azreen Rizal, 21, were given ample time in the seven matches, and they were a joy to watch.

"I believe new standards were set by the young players and now, those who are recovering from injuries and playing abroad would have to fight for their spots in the national team," said chief coach Van Huizen.

Among those on the injury list are brothers Kelvinder Singh and Harwinder Singh, while Jiwa Mohan is playing in Australia and S. Selvaraju in France.
"It was a fruitful tournament, and we missed the distinction of being named as joint-champions just on goals scored. Now, the focus will be on playing international friendlies, and then the Commonwealth Games before the all-important Asian Games," said Van Huizen.

The Asian Games will offer one ticket to the 2012 London Olympics, and South Korea, India and Pakistan would be the main hurdles.
Malaysia held South Korea to a 1-1 draw, Pakistan to 3-3, beat India 5-2 and China 2-1.
"However, the results will have no bearing when we play in the Asian Games as all three Asian stalwarts fielded experimental and young sides.

"A better picture will emerge when we play against Pakistan and India in the Commonwealth Games. Malaysia should also have the best available then, and after that I would be able to plan for the Asian Games," said Van Huizen.
The oldest Malaysian player was S. Kumar, but the 31-year-old showed great agility and was named as Goalkeeper of the Tournament.
"Kumar is among the best in the world, but we do not have a pool of back-ups who can take his spot in the future.
"Also, I do not have depth on the bench to rest my four defenders during matches, and they had to play for 70 minutes in most matches and that's when the mistakes crept in."
Defenders C. Baljit Singh, Madzli Ikmar, Amin Rahim and Razie Rahim were in super form, but made many mistakes in the closing minutes of matches as they had to play for 70 minutes without rest in most matches.
And among the strikers, Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin, 24, finally found his touch while 19-year-old Faizal Saari indicated that he has the potential to become the deadliest striker for Malaysia, in a few years' time.