Melbourne, April 19: A controversial penalty stroke four minutes from full-time saw India go down to New Zealand 1-2 and finish at bottom of the four-nation Colorado Cup hockey tournament here today.Argentine umpire Guillermo Poleri ruled India's Virender Singh had made an illegal stick-check on Kiwi forward Umesh Parag next to the New Zealand goal, AAP reported.Despite heated protests from the Indians, Jamie Smith took the stroke and put the ball into the right hand corner of the goal as keeper Jude Menezes moved to the left.Even as India completed a woeful tour, Australia routed Argentina 6-0 for the Colorado Cup title.Hosts Australia thrashed a robust Argentina 6-0 with Baeden Choppy (7th, 13th, 33rd, 43rd) slamming in four goals including a hat-trick and Stephen Davies (11th) and Michael Brennan (46th) completing the rout.The Kiwis, who had finished last after the double leg league engagements struck both their goals, once in each half, through stroke conversions by Darren Smith (12thminute) and Jamie Smith (66th) while Rajesh Chauhan (49th) had found the equaliser through an indirect penalty corner conversion.Injured Indian captain Baljit Singh Saini also had angry words with Poleri after the game and coach Vasudevan Baskaran echoed his team's sentiments.``We always accept defeat, but the umpiring was quite sad,'' Baskaran said adding: ``I normally don't comment on the umpiring, but it was beneath the required standard.''Baskaran was also critical of the circumstances surrounding New Zealand's first goal in the 12th minute, where Darren Smith again converted a penalty stroke after one of the Indian defenders stopped a certain score with his upper body.India replied in two minutes after New Zealand's opener when Chauhan converted a indirect penalty corner, tapping in the rebound off the pads of goalkeeper Anderson Scott, who came up with many fine saves to frustrate the Indians.The two sides attacked continuously throughout the match, but the defenders held sway until thegame-breaking penalty stroke.India attacked frantically after New Zealand's second goal, but could not convert two penalty corners.The Kiwis, who forced six penalty corners to the four gained by India, held the edge and found the winner through another disputed stroke, this time the umpire ruling that defender Dilip Tirkey had not properly stopped a goalward hit.The Indian performance, though several seasoned players have been rested for this final preparatory tour prior to the May World Cup in Utrect, should leave many aspects to be addressed before India leave for the Netherlands.Riding on Baeden Choppy's four goals, Australia thrashed the Latin American powerhouse Argentina 6-0 to lift the title.Australia, who entered the final with five wins and a draw against the same opponents completely dominated the proceedings. Argentina, who held Australia 4-4 in the league match here, could do little against the vastly superior hosts.
