Hockey: Waiting game for Bell-Kake

By Terry Maddaford

Tina Bell-Kake will have to wait a little longer before finding out whether her international hockey career has been rekindled.

New Zealand women's coach Jan Borren has named a new, 15-player national squad - without Bell-Kake - to prepare for a tour to Argentina in January, a home series against Japan in February and in March, a European tour culminating in the Olympic qualifying tournament in England.

Bell-Kake, one of a handful of players to have played more than 100 games for New Zealand, retired after last year's Commonwealth Games. She came back to play in the Academy side against China late last month, and has been included in a 13-strong extended squad from which up to four players will be added to the national squad for the Argentine tour.

While there is no hockey between now and December 20, when the touring squad will be named, Borren will continue to monitor his players' progress during an intensive fitness-based programme.

"With only the odd exception - for players he wants to work on flicking the ball at penalty corners - the players have been told to leave their sticks alone and concentrate on a conditioning programme," New Zealand Hockey Federation chief executive Ramesh Patel said yesterday.

Megan Quedley, who made her debut against China, has been named only in the extended squad, but goalkeeper Helen Clarke, Jenny Duck, Robyn Matthews and Kate Trolove, who were rested for that series, have regained their national squad places.

Clarke has been included with other goalkeepers Karen Smith and Anne Marie Irving. Two will go to Argentina.

National squad: Sandy Bennett, Helen Clarke, Kylie Foy, Mandy Smith, Lisa Walton (Auckland), Jenny Duck, Anne Marie Irving, Anna Lawrence, Karen Smith, Kate Trolove (Canterbury), Skippy McGregor, Moira Senior (Manawatu), Robyn Matthews (Wanganui), Caryn Paewai, Suzie Pearce (Wellington).

Extended squad: Tina Bell-Kake, Leisen Jobe, Toni Mason, Meredith Orr, Megan Quedley, Jenny Shepherd (Auckland), Lisa Bishop, Niniwa Roberts (Wellington), Rachel Petrie, Jaimee Provan, Rachel Sutherland, Michelle Turner, Diana Weavers (Canterbury).