Hockey: Douglas, Hamahona get recalls

Recalls for Laura Douglas and Piki Hamahona but no place for Tara Drysdale are the features of national coach Mark Hager's 25-strong national squad announced yesterday.

Hamahona, 27, a member of the National Hockey League-winning Central team in Christchurch on Sunday, returns to the squad for the first time since 2003 when she played the last of her 25 internationals as a striker at a tournament in Japan.

Midfielder Douglas, 26, gets her chance to add to the eight caps she earned up to May 2007.

Sophie Devine, Alana Millington and Liz Perry - with 11 caps between them - have dropped from the national squad to the eight-strong development squad, where their experience is seen as vital in assisting the five uncapped players including Nicola Howes and Petrea Webster who, like Devine, played at this year's Junior World Cup in Boston.

Honor Dillon and Lizzy Igasan, who have not played recent internationals and did not appear at the NHL, were not considered and will need to wait until next year's league, at a time yet to be decided, to press their claims if they want to return to the international fold.

Twenty-three-year-olds Kayla Sharland and Emily Naylor, also members of the winning Central side, are two of the most experienced players named yesterday. Along with Canterbury's Stacey Carr, they are the only squad members to have played more than 100 games for the Black Sticks.

The dropping of Drysdale, 30, was a minor surprise but pace and the battle for midfield spots appear to have counted against her.

"I am pleased with the squad we have come up with," said Hager. "When you look at those players who have missed out, you quickly realise just what depth we have. I would hope that most of the players will be around when it comes to the 2012 Olympics."

Hager, who leaves with his team today for the Champions Challenge tournament in South Africa, said the next year presented a lot of challenges.

"We have a wish list for 2010 but a lot of it will depend on funding."