Hockey: Three players earn international recall

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Good performances in the national league have earned recalls to the New Zealand men's team for three players before next month's five-test series against Great Britain.

Auckland midfielder Dharmesh Puna gets his first chance since 2001 to add to the 11 caps he has won.

Wellington's James Nation, another who stood out at centre-half in the Lion Foundation League, is back after playing against Canada in April but being on the "not required" list for the Champions Challenge in July and last month's Olympic qualifiers.

He has six caps and is seen as a possible back-up to drag flick specialist Hayden Shaw.

Canterbury goalkeeper Michael Bevin, freed of international commitments to allow him to finish his university studies, is one of three goalkeepers named and gets his chance to add to his 25 internationals.

Coach Kevin Towns said he planned to play first-choice keeper Paul Woolford in one of the five tests, with Bevin and Kyle Pontifex sharing the other four.

With Nation and Puna back in the frame, there is no room for North Harbour's Casey Henwood who, with team-mate Lloyd Stephenson and Canterbury forward Peter Stafford, are the most notable omissions from the 20-strong squad.

Towns and his fellow selectors Charlie Oscroft and John Christensen will announce next week another couple of players for the national squad. They will also announce development players to expand the total squad to 35 with a view to establishing a base to take the team through to the 2008 Olympics.

"We are keen to use the series against Britain to give the players who have spent a lot of time on the bench as much turf time as possible," Towns said.

Of his decision to drop more or less regular players, he said: "If they aren't playing well enough, we can't keep putting them in."

Organisers of February's Sultan Azlan Shah tournament in Malaysia have turned down New Zealand's request for an invitation.

"We are still hoping we might get in," Towns said. "But if we don't we are looking to play Spain before or after the tournament over there."

Squad to play Great Britain: Blair Hopping, David Kosoof, Darren Smith (North Harbour), Ryan Archibald, Dean Couzins, Dion Gosling, Bevan Hari, Wayne McIndoe, Dharmesh Puna, Simon Towns, Paul Woolford (Auckland), Phillip Burrows, James Nation, Umesh Parag, Mitesh Patel, Kyle Pontifex (Wellington), Michael Bevin, Gareth Brooks, Bryce Collins, Hayden Shaw (Canterbury).