Hockey: KL rain and heat limits practice

Steamy conditions and rain have made life difficult for the New Zealand hockey team as they prepare for their first game at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Kuala Lumpur.

A practice match against hosts Malaysia on Tuesday was cut short after heavy rain made for a slow turf. The arrival of thunder and lightning convinced Black Sticks coach Kevin Towns to head back to the hotel.

The team had a two-hour practice session yesterday to give the players more time to acclimatise but they will not venture out again before they play Pakistan in the tournament opener tonight.

"Even at 8pm it is still around 33 degrees," Towns said. "It promises to be three or four degrees hotter when we play the first match of the day [at 4.05pm local time], as we do on three occasions.

"But we knew what to expect and have done our planning accordingly. We will start rotating our strikers as early as eight or nine minutes into the games.

"The midfielders will probably do 20 to 25 minutes before we look at using the bench."

Teams can name 16 (of 18) players for each match. New Zealand are unlikely to name a substitute goalkeeper to allow for more outfield players.

Towns said he would play all the squad at least twice in the opening four games.

The New Zealanders were reunited with Phil Burrows and Dean Couzins at Kuala Lumpur airport after their journey from the Netherlands, where they had been in dispute with their Dutch club.

"It [the contract dispute] is something they, and we, could have done without."

Captain Simon Towns and striker Bevan Hari have joined the team after recent matchplay in Europe.

Towns' English club finished second in the European club championships, losing to the Dutch champions. Hari has been playing for a Belarus club in a third-tier tournament.

"We have no injuries or other problems," said Kevin Towns.

He has yet to see team lists, but says Australia are at close to full strength and will start as favourites.

"After that, it is pretty open."

New Zealand have a tough start, with afternoon games against Pakistan and India today and tomorrow.