Hockey: Indian women's team remain winless in Australia, go down in penultimate match 2-3
The Indian women's hockey team put up a spirited fight but lost 2-3 to Australia in the fourth game of their Australia tour, at the Perth Hockey Stadium on Saturday. Navneet Kaur (35') and Lalremsiami (59') were the scorers for India, while Australia struck through Grace Stewart (2'), Jade Smith (36'), and Greta Hayes (42') to edge a closely contested encounter. Including the two defeats against Australia A, this marks India's fourth loss on their tour of Australia. In the first match of the three-match rubber against the senior Australian side, India had lost 0-2.
On Saturday, in the first quarter, Australia struck first to take a 1-0 lead. The breakthrough came as early as the second minute when Grace Stewart found the back of the net. India worked hard to level the score in the remainder of the quarter but could not find the equaliser.
In the second quarter, India successfully defended an early penalty corner and withstood another set-piece threat late in the period, keeping the deficit to a single goal at halftime.
India fought their way back into the contest in the third quarter, when vice captain Navneet successfully converted a penalty corner in the 35th minute to level the scores. The respite was brief as Australia responded immediately with Jade Smith's field goal giving them the lead in the 36th minute. Australia won two more penalty corners, before Greta Hayes' 42nd minute goal extended their lead again.
India reduced the margin in the final quarter when Lalremsiami found the net late in the game, but Australia kept the Indian attack at bay to secure victory.
Before this match, chief coach Harendra Singh had said that he is looking to take positives from the tour despite not being able to win a match yet. 'The defeats do hurt us, especially when we have conceded soft goals in, but there is nothing that can replace or match up to the intensity of playing these matches. The more games and game time team gets the better it is for the players, especially the younger ones. This tour is of a lot of importance as facing top quality opposition is extremely crucial for the development of the squad,' Singh said.
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He will, yes, just as Indian cricket too will cherish him forever. A regular Joe with the same fears and apprehensions and doubts and insecurities as anyone else, but an extraordinary performer who has found the fortitude and the wherewithal to overcome the odds and set himself up as an inspiration for millions, especially those from one-time cricketing outposts who could dare to dream that their dreams would come to fruition. Take a bow, MS.
