Hockey: Indian series good warm-up for men

By TERRY MADDAFORD

There will be no move by New Zealand Hockey officials to can this month's series against the Indian men.

There have been suggestions the four tests could be in jeopardy following the re-draw of the World Cup qualifying tournament in Scotland, with New Zealand now in the same pool as India, Wales and Egypt.

"The only people who would put the series here in doubt are the Indians and I don't think they will do that," New Zealand Hockey Federation chief executive Ramesh Patel said yesterday.

"Especially as they are already in Hong Kong on their way here.

"It's a bit ironic we have been drawn together.

"You have to ask how you should treat them [the four tests] now," Patel said."But we have no problems in playing the Indians because we should both get through to the last eight in Scotland anyway."

India are ranked seventh and New Zealand 16th - both comfortably ahead of Wales and Egypt.

The top seven teams from the qualifying tournament will progress to next year's World Cup in Malaysia.

Patel said that while their late admission to the qualifying tournament has given them some chance of chasing an early place in the 2004 Athens Olympics, the NZHF will still press on with plans to apply for the 2003 Olympic qualifying tournament.

"That is still our priority," Patel said.

"But we will just have to play it by ear a little until we know exactly where we are."