Hockey: Veterans return for Black Sticks

Simon Child. Photo / Greg Bowker

Black Sticks coach Colin Batch is relishing the opportunity of working with top striker Simon Child when the Oceania Cup tournament starts in Taranaki at the end of this month.

Child is back from a club stint in the Netherlands and was unavailable for the World League 3 tournament in that country in June.

The Auckland striker, who has scored 96 goals in his 179 internationals and is rated among the best front men in the game, offers an intriguing prospect alongside in-form Hugo Inglis, who had an outstanding national league.

Coach Colin Batch hasn't worked with Child before, but is hoping for good results from his strike line.

"It's an interesting challenge," Batch said. "If we've got all our players available in the strike line we have a line that's very capable and would match any other team in the world.

"If we get Nick Wilson back in as well we've got quite a healthy group going forward."
Wilson, who has scored 53 goals in his 124 internationals, is one of five players ruled out of the Oceania Cup, which also involves Australia, Papua New Guinea and Samoa.

He suffered bone bruising playing at Rotterdam and it has taken a frustrating amount of time to come right.

Batch's priority is to have Wilson fit and ready for the World League finals in India in January.

"It's one thing to be right but we need a good five to seven-week block of consolidated training," Batch said.

Experienced defender Andy Hayward broke a finger three weeks ago but will be fit for the Indian trip; Bradley Shaw, who had a serious ear infection during the national league, has just received his all clear to start training again; Blair Hilton suffered a broken bone during the NHL and the injury has taken longer than anticipated to come right; while Shay Neal is about to have a hip operation and won't be available for India.

The return of Child, Shea McAleese and Steve Edwards increases the experience factor in the squad, although Edwards, who broke a bone in his ankle shortly after the national league, has a slight injury cloud over him as the squad prepares for a training camp on the North Shore next week.

The two Australian games will give Batch a good gauge on the Black Sticks' progress towards the world finals.

World No 2 Australia beat the fifth-ranked Black Sticks 3-2 in their last clash at the Azlan Shah tournament in Malaysia in March.

"They're always difficult opponents. They have had some injury problems but will be well prepared so it'll be a good challenge for us," Batch said.

The tournament runs from October 30 to November 3.

Black Sticks squad for the Oceania Cup: Hugo Inglis, Stephen Jenness, Simon Child, James Coughlan, Jared Panchia, Shea McAleese, Steven Edwards, Arun Panchia, Phil Burrows, Marcus Child, Dean Couzins, Nick Haig, Blair Tarrant, Cory Bennett, Joseph Bartholomew, Alex Shaw, Hamish McGregor, Devon Manchester