Hockey: Black Sticks in disaster basket

By TERRY MADDAFORD

New Zealand's weekend transtasman sporting disaster continued yesterday with the national women's team losing the second of two tests in Melbourne 4-3.

Australia opened the four-test series with a 3-2 win on Saturday - a day on which Australia won the netball, Sunline lost on the track at Moonee Valley and the Kiwi softballers were beaten for the first time in 13 years.

And at 0-4 yesterday, it looked as though the Sandy Bennett-led Black Sticks were in for a hiding.

Down a goal after 10 minutes and by three at halftime, New Zealand, with a few "truthful words" from coach Jan Borren, went out in search of something better, only to fall further behind.

With all apparently lost, New Zealand found their touch and two field goals from Moira Senior and a goal from Lizzy Igasan at a penalty corner gave them some hope.

"Getting so far behind was a mixture of things," Igasan said. "I think we went out with a team we felt could beat them and we held them early on. But as soon as we went a goal down, it went downhill. Halftime was a long time coming."

The first test was a different story. Chasing their first victory in five games against Australia this year, New Zealand went ahead after 13 minutes when Suzie Pearce scored.

The home side got back to 1-1 just seconds before halftime. Three minutes after the break Jaimee Provan had the Kiwis back in front.

But the world champions scored twice in as many minutes midway through the spell for a hard-fought victory.

New Zealand have a practice match in Melbourne tomorrow before flying to Sydney. Further practice games on Thursday and Friday will be followed by tests on Saturday and Sunday.

* In Lion Foundation national league promotion-relegation play-offs, the Midland Express men beat Otago 1-0 and 3-1 in the first and third matches to retain their place. Otago, bidding for a first league spot, won the second 2-0.

The joy continued for Waikato (part of Midland Express) when their women tipped Otago out with two 1-0 victories.