File picture of Indian males’s hockey team.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
The Indian men’s hockey was anticipated to place up at least an honest struggle however was hammered 1-5 by Australia in the first Test of the five-match sequence in Perth on April 6.
The Australians managed the tempo of the match from begin to end. The Indian team confirmed some sparks in the ultimate quarter nevertheless it was too late by then.
Tom Wickham (twentieth, thirty eighth minute) scored a brace, whereas Tim Brand (third), Joel Rintala (thirty seventh) and Flynn Ogilvie (57th) have been the opposite goal-getters for the winners.
India’s lone aim was scored by Gurjant Singh in the forty seventh minute.
The Kookaburras confirmed constructive intent from the beginning and took the lead as early because the third minute by means of Brand, who shocked India early with sensible particular person abilities from the left flank.
He acquired a protracted cross from the deep and outfooted Jarmanpreet Singh together with his stick work and pushed the ball previous veteran India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh.
Australia continued to press arduous on the Indian defence and secured their first penalty nook in the eighth minute however couldn’t breach Sreejesh’s defence this time.
Sreejesh made a reflex save together with his prolonged proper leg to disclaim Joel Rintala.
A minute later, an alert Sreejesh used his razor-sharp reflexes to once more preserve Rintala out of goal from Australia’s second penalty nook.
India secured their first penalty nook in the tenth minute however did not utilise the possibility.
Soon, Jake Whetton’s reverse shot was parried away by Sreejesh.
Australia was at their attacking finest as their strikes outwitted the Indian defence.
The house team elevated its lead simply 5 minutes into the second quarter by means of Wickham, courtesy some sloppy defending by the Indians.
Australia denied India to settle right into a rhythm with their attacking hockey and relentless stress to enter the midway break with a 2-0 cushion.
The hosts continued in the identical vein after the change of ends as Rintala was in the proper place at the proper time to get a neat deflection off Ky Willott’s reverse hit seven minutes into the third quarter.
The Indian defence was caught napping by the ever-attacking Australians as Wickham scored his second of the day with a fierce shot from the proper nook previous Sreejesh’s prolonged proper foot.
Down by 4 objectives, the Indians confirmed urgency thereafter however lacked concepts as they did not create clear lower possibilities from discipline play.
Twice in the third quarter India got here near registering objectives however on each event Australia goalkeeper Andrew Charter simply stored the rivals at bay.
Australia continued to play high-press hockey and secured one other penalty nook simply at the beginning of fourth quarter however did not money in on the chance.
In flip, the Indians made fast counter-attack and decreased the margin by means of Gurjant, who scored with highly effective strike from the highest of the D after receiving an inch-perfect cross from Mohammed Raheel. India made some terrific incisive strikes by means of the mid-field to reveal Australian defence in fourth quarter however did not create any scoring possibilities because the Australian defence stood tall.
The Indians earned back-to-back penalty corners in the 51st minute, however on each event skipper Harmanpreet Singh did not get previous Charter in entrance of Australian aim. Australia secured one other penalty nook three minutes from the ultimate hooter. Jeremy Hayward’s preliminary flick was saved by second Indian goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak however Ogilvie sounded the board from the rebound to register the comfy win for the hosts.
The two groups will meet once more on Sunday in the second Test of the Perth International Festival of Hockey, thought of as a preparation for the upcoming Paris Olympics.
