Hockey: Aussies tipped for cup success

MALAYSIA: World champions Australia are tipped to make a strong impression at the seven-nation Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia despite a new-look side as teams build towards the London Olympics. Australia, winners of last year’s World Cup in India, are joined in the tournament at Ipoh’s Azlan Shah Stadium by Britain, South Korea, New Zealand, Pakistan, India and host nation Malaysia. India, South Korea and Malaysia are making plans for next year’s Olympic qualifiers while the other four teams have already secured their berths for London. The Australian team is almost unrecognisable from the side that won gold at last year’s Commonwealth Games in New Delhi due to unavailability and injuries but team bosses are not worried about the make-up of the side.



Published in The Express Tribune, May 5^th, 2011.