Delhi Waveriders host Kalinga lancers in HIl
A new team is a double-edged sword. As an opponent, it can be easy as well as tricky. Kalinga lancers, the newest addition in the Hero Hockey India league (HIl), surrendered in front of Jaypee Punjab Warriors (JPW) on their debut losing the match 3-7 but, given the fact that they are an unknown entity, they can surprise their next opponent — Delhi Waveriders.
It is this factor that the hosts Waveriders need to be wary of when they face the former Indian captain Prabodh Tirkey-led lancers in their third match (first at home) on Thursday at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here.
These are early days of the 30-days long tournament and teams are trying to settle down and gel well as a unit quickly. Though mid-field maestro Sardar Singh-led Waveriders had a runners-up finish in the inaugural edition, nine new faces and a completely new support staff meant that the team needs more games to start firing in unison. Perhaps that explains their slow start to the tournament, losing one and winning another in their two outings.
Delhi team would be confident of their defenders Rupinderpal Singh, Tristian White and Steven Edwards. Their linkmen in Sardar, Andre Mir Bel, Gurbaj Singh and Tim Drummond, however, need to improve their co-ordination with strikers in Akashdeep Singh, Jason Wilson, lloyd Norris Jones and Simon Child to create more chances inside the circle.
"We will have to play to the best of our capacity against the Kalinga lancers tomorrow. We are not under any kind of home pressure," Waveriders coach Cedric D'Souza told media persons.
On the other hand, his counterpart Terry Walsh has a lot of problems to fix. During the practice, one could hear assistant coach AK Bansal shouting instructions to Indian players to improve communication and coordination with their overseas teammates.
lancer's problem is that none of their domestic players is a part of the current national team. Prabodh is the most experienced of the lot but he has been out of the team for around three years now and looked rusty against the JPW.
Other players who have been part of the national team are Devinder Walmiki, Mandeep Antil, Manjeet Kullu, lalit Kumar Upadhyay and Mohammed Amir Khan. But they also haven't played top-flight hockey for a couple of years now and it would be difficult for them to match the international regulars.
In Harjot Singh and Tristian Clemons they have inexperienced but talented goalkeepers.
The team is largely dependent on foreign recruits and the responsibilities increase for the likes of Glenn Simpson, Russel Ford, Kiel Brown, Aran Zaleski (Australia) Ramon Alegre, Roc Oliva Isern (Spain), lucas Villa, Gonzalo Peilat (Argentina) Ryan Archibald (New Zealand).
"We were defensively very poor against the Warriors. We were very nervous and made unnecessary mistakes. We will look to correct them in the next game. I am sure we will be wiser than the last match," lancers coach Walsh said.
Match starts at 8.00 PM following an opening ceremony for the home leg of Delhi team.
UP wizards beat Mumbai 5-3
Mumbai: Captain V R Raghunath scored a hat-trick as Uttar Pradesh Wizards came from a two-goal deficit to thrash Mumbai Magicians 5-3 in the second edition of the Hero Hockey India league (HHIl) here on Wednesday.
Raghunath scored in the 28th, 41st and 56th minutes from the penalty corners to secure the second win for his team in the league. It was the hosts who took the lead in the 12th minute through their star drag-flicker Gurjinder Singh, who converted the penalty corner with ease.
Uttar Pradesh Wizards got a golden opportunity to equalise a few minutes later when the ball appeared to touch the defender's foot and they earned a penalty stroke but they couldn't utilise the chance as luke Doerner failed to sound the board.
The Australian defender flicked it high on the left side but it was brilliantly stopped by the Mumbai goalkeeper David Harte. Mumbai captain Glenn Turner (18th minute) later scored off a rebound after a failed target to increase the lead to 2-0. The Wizards were unable to convert most of their penalty corners.