Hockey: NZ hold Australia in Champions Trophy

New Zealand's Black Sticks shocked Australia with a scoreless draw in their second match of the women's Champions Trophy hockey tournament in Amsterdam this morning (NZ time).

Despite conceding 11 penalty corners, the young New Zealanders kept the world's third-ranked side goalless and came close to upsetting them again after their shock win in last year's Oceania tournament.

In fact Northland striker Charlotte Harrison, 16, nearly gave New Zealand the winner when she dived to meet a cross in the circle but missed the ball.

"We're quite happy with it, a win would have been better," defender Sheree Phillips told NZPA.

Phillips, captain Diana Weavers, Kate Mahon and Frances Kreft formed the stone-wall defence that frustrated Australia throughout the match.

The four and midfielders Rachel Robertson and Emily Naylor, both 20, played the entire game and stepped up a few notches from their 0-3 loss to Argentina the previous day.

"We came out a lot more aggressive and assertive today, we were a lot tighter in our defence and supported each quite a bit off the ball," Phillips said.

The result was surprising given the number of senior players unavailable for various reasons and retirements.

"We attacked the 50-50 ball more today," Phillips said.

"We transferred the ball at the back with a lot more purpose than we did yesterday. We were a bit tentative, a bit stand-offish yesterday whereas today we went there and gave it to them."

Phillips said the midfielders held the ball a lot more than they did yesterday to deny Australia possession.

"We denied them space in the (defence) circle, we forced made them go wide and there was a lot more man-to-man marking today."

Phillips said they would be looking seriously at reducing the penalty corners against them although some decisions had gone against New Zealand.

"We didn't have any penalty corners ourselves but we're looking at becoming a bit more direct in the attacking circle."

"Given the fact that we had so many young players, and they all played really well, this result is most encouraging."

It was Australia's second draw in the tournament after the Netherlands also held them scoreless yesterday.

The Black Sticks played a 4-4-2 pattern and crowded the midfield with Australia unable to counter the tactic.

"We knew they were going to play with four across the midfield to congest the midfield, and we were too soft, it's as simple as that," Australian coach Frank Murray said.

"We didn't handle the slow ground again and we didn't come up after yesterday so it is very disappointing.

"The pitch is not an excuse, we have to handle it so it requires a stronger attention to detail and if we don't adapt our style we will struggle."

New Zealand coach Ian Rutledge said it was the first time his team had played a 4-4-2 formation.

"They learned a lot from it and did it well.

"They showed me something in the way they defended and moved through the midfield, but without a serious shot on goal we can't expect to win," Rutledge said.

As the match progressed, the standard slipped as both sides made poor passes forward over the backline and the whistle blew constantly for stick clashes and obstructions.

In other matches the Netherlands overcame Germany 3-1 and China beat Argentina 3-1.

Next matches on Wednesday morning are: China v Australia, Germany v Argentina and Netherlands v New Zealand.

- NZPA