Kookaburras In The Know Early
The Sunday Age
Sunday June 9, 2002
AUSTRALIA will enter today's final of the Four Nations tournament against India undistracted by thoughts of who will make the cut for the Commonwealth Games team.
At the Kookaburras' request, and in a small break with tradition, the selectors will tell their 24-player squad who has been chosen for the 16-man Manchester team before the match against India.
Australia scored a scrappy 2-1 win over India in its pool match yesterday afternoon to finish the tournament undefeated. Assistant coach Colin Batch said the timing of the announcement would ensure the team remained focused on the final instead of making unnecessary last efforts to impress.
The four-day tournament, which followed on from last week's event in Adelaide, was viewed largely as a selection trial.
``The players have agreed they want to know before the start of the game whether they're in or out, so it will be interesting to see how they handle that situation," said Batch, standing in for Kookaburra coach Barry Dancer yesterday.
``The last couple of players picked are the hardest ones. We've got an idea of our core players, our core group, but there will be some tough decisions when we sit down with the selectors."
India made its way into today's final on goal difference over Malaysia and Korea, but could easily have upset the Australians, who scored two second-half goals to snare the scratchy match.
In a tight first half, it was the Indians who looked the most dangerous side pushing forward, catching the Kookaburras off guard but failing to capitalise on the Australian turnovers.
Goalkeepers Mark Hickman and Stephen Lambert got their most extensive workout of the tournament so far, Hickman saving an almost certain goal to the lively Prabjhot Singh when he charged out from the goalface and upended the incoming Indian forward.
Striker Michael McCann broke the deadlock within the first two minutes of the second half when he tapped a free hit from captain Paul Gaudoin through from only a couple of metres out.
India equalised from a penalty corner 10 minutes later, but forward Troy Elder secured the match when he tapped through a backhanded goal with his back almost to the goal.
© 2002 The Sunday Age