White kept India’s mighty Olympic hockey team at bay in first unofficial Test By DENNIS DE ROSAYRO

The Indian Olympic team playing a more constructive game gained a convincing yet unspectacular 2-0 victory over Ceylon in their first unofficial hockey Test played at the Police Park, Bambalapitiya.

A Mylvaganam (Govt Services and Tamil Union C&AC) was appointed as captain of the Ceylon team. Nine members of the team selected were representing Ceylon in an international match for the first time.

Besides Mylvaganam who played for Ceylon against the 1948 Indian Olympic team led by Krishan Lal, who incidentally was coach of the Indian team, the other international was goalkeeper Freddie White who made his debut in 1955 against Pakistan.

Of the 11 selected, all except Somasekeran, had represented the Ceylon Hockey Federation teams in Ceylon and in India. Somasekeran, however, toured India with the Matale Schools, a couple of years before. Most of them earned their caps on merit. Skipper Mylvaganam, however, played for the first time as right back and Somasekeran for the first time as centre forward. The team was a mixture of experience and youth.

Ceylon who held the Indians 1-0 at half time, did not yield easily, though beaten they saved face due to a brilliant performance by Freddie White between the posts, particularly during the second half, when as many as seven penalty corners were awarded to the Indians, it was reported.

Though the visitors’ speed, stick work, combined movements and positional play were superior to the local team, still the Indians could not be too satisfied with the overall performance.

Barring skipper Claudius and Udham Singh, whose deceptive body swerves and fake passes showed an obvious touch of class, the rest of the Indians, though good lacked that artistry, that has adorned their hockey in the past.

The Ceylon forwards displayed only a few good movements in the game. They lacked thrust when they did get the ball while their positional play was faulty.

The halves and deep defence, especially White at goal were, therefore, taxed to the maximum. Under the circumstances, they did well to check the Indians in the second half. India’s intermediate line with Claudius at right half gave their forwards splendid support, while left back, Sharma was sound in defence, whenever Sri Lanka attacked from the right.

Skipper Mylvaganam and Adahan, Ceylon’s deep defenders also showed up well, while De Rosayro and Abeyesekera in the half line impressed with their tireless effort.

Play started on a sensational note, hardly had the chief guest Sir John Kotalawala, who was introduced to the two teams, left the field, when the Indians were awarded a penalty corner.

This resulted in a penalty bully in the very first minute of play. Udham Singh took the bully with Ceylon’s offender Hettiaratchi hitting the ball outside. During the next 15 minutes the Indian forwards made futile attempts to combine effectively and Ceylon, therefore, had an even share of the exchanges.

In the 15th minute, off the only good movement in which the Ceylon forward line was involved, the home team was awarded a penalty bully.

It was a move which originated from left inside Douglas Wijekoon whose pass to the right was ultimately pushed back to him. Wijekoon’s scoop into the goal was well stopped by India’s goal keeper Deshmuthu. This was the only time Deshmuthu was tested.

In the resultant melee, left back Sharma was penalised for an infringement, but the penalty bully awarded to Ceylon was not made use of with Hetttaratchi being beaten by the bully by Sharma.

DISALLOWED

From the 20th minute on-wards India really went into the attack. Two goals in successive minutes by Udham Singh and centre forward Haripal were disallowed as these players were off-side. In the very next minute Udham Singh put India 1-0 up, when he cut across to pick up a pass from the right and cleverly angled his shot to a corner of the goal giving White, who had come up halfway, hardly any chance to save it.

More raids followed on the Ceylon goal but a few minutes before half time, Ceylon was able to make a breakaway and carry play into the Indian territory.

Two penalty corners were awarded to them in quick succession but Mylvaganam was unable to convert either of them. At half time India led 1-0.

In the second half the Indian forward line really clicked. They made persistent attacks on the Ceylon goal and in the first 10 minutes were awarded three penalty corners.

White, however, proved their stumbling block. His saves at goal were remarkable and Bhola’s shots at goal off these penalty corners were all saved.

In the 10th minute of this half, White again brought off a splendid save when right inside, Peter slammed in a shot which looked like a certain goal.

SAVED

Another penalty-corner followed and in the melee which came after White’s save, Udham Singh flicked the ball into the goal. Mylvaganam, however, standing in front of the goal cleverly stopped the ball and cleared it away.

Three more penalty corners were taken against Ceylon in the 15th, 18th and 25th minutes of this half. White again brought up two splendid saves but the last penalty-corner – a terrific drive by Bhola – beat him completely and India was thus able to make it 2-0 in their favour.

Ceylon was only able to make a few sporadic raids into the Indian sector during this half but these attacks never got past the Indian defences.

Walter Jayasuriya and PW Moses umpired.

TEAMS:

Sri Lanka – Freddie White (goal), Backs – A Mylvaganam and Tony Adahan (Halves) – Dennis de Rosayro, DD Abeyesekera and PA Hettiaratchie (Forwards) – LP Rayen, Rienzie Perera, RS Somasekeran, Douglas Wijekoon and GH Jayatissa. Stand-byes – V Jeyaratnam, Derrick Harvie and V Gunaratnam

India – Deshmuthu, Shantha Ram, JL Sharma, LW Claudius (captain), Charmanjit Singh, Mohinder Lal, B Patel, J Peter, Haripal Udham Singh and RS Bhola