Hockey: NZ battle tournament hotshots and humidity

By TERRY MADDAFORD

New Zealand coach Kevin Towns says there is an understandable cloak of secrecy surrounding tactics at the six-nations tournament in Kuala Lumpur.

Speaking after his side had fought back from a goal down to draw 1-1 with hosts Malaysia, Towns said it was difficult to tell how good the other teams were.

The tournament was excellent preparation for next month's World Cup at the same venue, but it had become apparent that teams were holding something back, particularly at penalty corners.

New Zealand bounced back from a first-up 4-2 loss to Australia to beat favourites the Netherlands 3-1 and then hold Malaysia.

New Zealand play hotshots Pakistan today.

Towns said he thought his team were unlucky to concede four goals in their opener with Australia - a game played just 18 hours after the New Zealanders had arrived in Kuala Lumpur.

The late arrival was apparently the result of tournament officials bringing the opening day forward and with the New Zealand Hockey Federation being caught unawares because of the holiday break.

Towns has used the three matches to give all 17 players game time.

"Against the Dutch we made eight substitutions in the first half and 13 in the second. It is important to use rolling subs in these conditions. The temperatures have been over 30 degrees every day, but the humidity - around 85 per cent - is the real killer."

Towns took some encouragement from the draw with Malaysia.

The home side dominated the first spell and went to the break 1-0 ahead, but New Zealand captain Simon Towns grabbed the second-half equaliser from a penalty corner.

Kevin Towns said Pakistan were the team to beat in this tournament, where New Zealand were the bottom-ranking side.

Pakistan came from a goal down to thrash Japan 9-1 after earlier beating the Dutch 3-1.

"We know we will have a battle against them," Towns said.

"They will kill you if you get loose. You can't afford to give them anything."

New Zealand's final round-robin match is against Japan on Friday, and the play-offs start the next day.

The team return to New Zealand on Monday, but will be back in the Malaysian capital on February 13 to prepare for the World Cup.

Towns is likely to re-select the players he has in Kuala Lumpur and add Dion Gosling to the squad if he recovers from an injury which kept him out of this tournament.