Mixed results for our juniors in playing tour Down Under

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian junior hockey team have won once and lost twice in their five-match playing tour against the Australian juniors in Queensland, Australia.

Malaysia took the lead in the first match but went down 1-4 on Wednesday.

However, they bounced back to win the next match 3-2 on Thursday.

In the third match yesterday, the national juniors were outplayed 5-0 because most of the players are fasting.

National junior coach Tai Beng Hai said in a telephone interview from Queensland yesterday that out of the 20 players, only forward Harwinder Singh is not fasting.

“The first two days of fasting took its toll on the players as we lost out in every department.

“We are in Australia without six 20-year-old players because we want to expose the Under-19 players, who are preparing for the 2009 Junior World Cup,'' said Beng Hai, who is assisted by Gurmit Singh.

Beng Hai added that they would be playing their next two matches in Buderim, where the Oceania Cup will be held.

Hosts Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea are involved in the Oceania Cup, with the champions earning an automatic berth to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Australia, the Olympic champions, are favourites to win the tournament and New Zealand are most likely to finish runners-up and will go through the Olympic qualifier.

Malaysia might be drawn in the same group with the Kiwis in the qualifier.

The Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) have sent national coach Sarjit Singh, who guided Malaysia to their first ever bronze medal in the Asia Cup in Chennai on Sunday, to Australia to watch the Oceania Cup with former national coach Paul Lissek.

Beng Hai said after the Australian playing tour they would go to South Korea later this month for more friendly matches.

“We are using the two playing tours to Australia and Korea to prepare for the Singapore International Invitational meet next month,'' said Beng Hai.

The other teams in that tournament are hosts Singapore, Australia, India, Pakistan and Taiwan.