Hockey: Black Sticks win second test against India

New Zealand women's hockey coach Ian Rutledge promises the best is yet to come after his side cruised to a 4-2 win against India in Oamaru last night.

Black Sticks captain Suzie Muirhead scored two goals to lead her side to victory, and with it an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-test series.

Muirhead was outstanding in her 191st cap for the Black Sticks.

The Black Sticks still have plenty to work on before Sunday's third test in Christchurch. They led 4-0 early in the second half, but butchered several good opportunities.

But it was a huge improvement on their 2-1 victory in the first test in Dunedin on Tuesday night.

Rutledge said the team's aim for the series was to improve with each game, and that had happened in the first two tests.

"I thought we played well. The first test was the benchmark and we definitely made progress here," he said.

The Black Sticks made a cracking start, with striker Lisa Walton latching on to a superb cross from Niniwa Roberts-Lang after seven minutes.

Roberts-Lang went from provider to scorer eight minutes later when she took advantage of some slack Indian defence to score from a goalmouth scramble.

Goals from Muirhead either side of halftime put the Black Sticks in the driver's seat.

But India scored two quick goals, both to Surinder Kaur, and threatened with several other scoring chances and boosted their confidence heading into the last two tests.

Rutledge said he was not concerned about India's two goals, although it did give his side something to work on.

"India are going to score goals, and if you want to score against them you have to be prepared to give up a few."

He heaped praise on Muirhead's performance, describing her as a "world-class player".

"She makes a big difference to the team. We probably lost a bit of momentum when she came off."

- NZPA