Hock: Indian takeaway leaves a sour taste in English mouths

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Hock: Indian takeaway leaves a sour taste in English mouths

By Frank Malley

MANCHESTER, Aug 3 PA - It was cruel, it was farcical, it was perhaps the most incompetentway for a gold medal to be awarded in the history of the Commonwealth Games.

It was the afternoon the `Friendly Games' turned distinctly chilly.

The women's hockey final between England and India ended in confusion and controversyafter a disputed "golden goal" winner by India which was only confirmed after a prolongedEnglish protest.

In the end, officials declared India the winner and Games gold medallist. A shatteredEngland accepted the silver while Australia took bronze after a 4-3 play-off win overNew Zealand.

England had fought back from a 2-0 deficit and, with the scores locked at 2-2 at theend of normal time, the final went into golden goal extra time.

The controversy began when India's Mamta Kharab put the ball in the net right at theend of the first period of extra-time.

As it happened the hooter, used in hockey in much the same way as in rugby league andAFL, sounded to denote the end of the half before the ball crossed the line, but New Zealandumpire Lyn Farrell sounded her whistle after the ball had crossed the line.

To confuse matters the umpire at first signalled a no goal by crossing her hands infront of her but then changed her mind after consulting the timing bench - and there followedthe most bizarre hour in the history of the game.

The Indians went on an ecstatic lap of celebration, while England lodged a bitter protestand spectators stood in bemused silence.

Copious video playbacks were studied, heated debate was heard in the officials roomand all the while the England players kept warming up in the hope that the second periodof extra time would continue.

It was a depressing end to a tournament which had brought such an invigorating boostto the sport and after a final which had been as tense and thrilling as the sport gets.

Even when the decision finally came through that India had indeed won the gold medal,with England taking the silver, it was not over. England lodged a second appeal whichthey then withdrew.

"In the spirit of the Commonwealth Games and for the good of hockey, England have decidednot to proceed with their appeal which they believe is well founded," said an Englandstatement.

How chaotic that a prestigious final should have to come down to the microscopic ruling,number 15.2.3 in the hockey rulebook, which categorically stated that the game shouldbe prolonged to permit completion of a penalty corner. It was clear that the penalty cornerin question was only completed when the goal was scored.

As it was, when the decision was announced, England's players still refused to leavethe pitch for a good 10 minutes and the crowd remained in their seats.

England's Australian coach Tricia Heberle ultimately accepted that the correct procedureshad been followed.

"I think sometimes you have to decide what you are prepared to lose to perhaps win.

One thing that I have tried to instil in my players is pride.

"England are the host nation and we were not prepared to lose dignity by fighting overa medal," said the former Hockeyroo.

"We made a decision in the spirit of the game and the game is always bigger than the team."

PA sp/nh

KEYWORD: GAMES HOCK WOMEN DAYLEAD