Hockey: Kosoof misses out in Black Sticks squad

Veteran North Harbour striker Dave Kosoof faces the prospect of having his international career ended one short of the 150-cap milestone after being left out of the 18-man Black Sticks squad to play this month's Oceania Cup in Invercargill.

Kosoof, who played the first of his 149 internationals against Pakistan in 2000, and Casey Henwood, who has played 85 times for New Zealand since 2003, were yesterday omitted from the 20-strong squad who played the recent five-test series against Malaysia.

Coach Shane McLeod, while admitting it was a hard call to cull two players from that squad for the August 25-29 tournament, said "injury was a factor" in leaving Kosoof out.

"This was a tough selection," said McLeod. "These players have been with us for a long time and have served us well. It now gives us a new direction in how we manage the centre-half role."

North Harbour's Steve Edwards will take the pivotal central role with the least experienced outfield player in the squad, Auckland's Arun Panchia, as his understudy.

Overall, it is a vastly experienced team with North Harbour defender Blair Hopping set to join captain Phil Burrows (219 caps) and Ryan Archibald (218) in the 200 club in his first outing in the deep south.

Outstanding 21-year-old Simon Child (103), Hayden Shaw (150) and Hopping's long-time fullback partner Dean Couzins (182) are over the 100-game mark while Brad Shaw and Ben Collier (87), utility Shea McAleese (81) and goalkeeper Kyle Pontifex (83) could reach that mark before the end of the year.

The winner of the Oceania Cup final - certain to be New Zealand and Australia after seeing off Samoa in pool play - gains automatic entry to the 12th World Cup in New Delhi from February 28 to March 13.

Victory for New Zealand would mean they climb above England in the world rankings and into the top seven.

With defending champions Australia guaranteed their place in next year's Commonwealth Games, New Zealand, should they go ahead of England, would have only Pakistan ranked ahead of them in the race to find the remaining eight teams for the Games.

If New Zealand lose the Oceania final, they have a second chance to win through to the World Cup when they host a six-nation qualifying tournament - again in Invercargill - from November 7-15.

* NZ men for Oceania Cup

Goalkeepers

Stephen Graham (Midlands) 23 years 6 caps, Kyle Pontifex (Wellington 29, 83

Defenders

Dean Couzins (Auckland) 28, 182, Nick Haig (Canterbury) 21, 28, Andy Hayward (Canterbury) 24, 46, Blair Hopping (North Harbour) 28, 199, Richard Petherick (Midlands) 23, 48, Brad Shaw (Canterbury) 25, 87, Hayden Shaw (Canterbury) 28, 150

Midfielders

Ryan Archibald (Auckland) 28, 218, Ben Collier (North Harbour) 25, 87, Steve Edwards (North Harbour) 23, 72, Shea McAleese (Central) 24, 81, Arun Panchia (Auckland) 20, 9

Strikers

Joel Baker (Wellington) 22, 19, Phil Burrows (Wellington) 29, 219, Simon Child (Auckland) 21, 103, Nick Wilson (Central) 18, 34

OCEANIA CUP SCHEDULE

All matches Invercargill

August 25: Australia v Samoa

August 26: NZ v Australia

August 27: NZ v Samoa

August 29: Final (1 v 2)