Marc Schreiber scores hat-trick

NEW DELHI, Jan 11: A twenty-year-old hitherto unknown penalty corner specialist from Limburg, Marc Shreiber, underlined the devastating impact of penalty corners at the National Stadium here today. Schreiber8217;s three stunning flicks in the first session, left India nursing a 2-3 defeat in the last of the four-Tests series against the Germans.

The Indians had settled into a fluent rhythm, attacking relentlessly, when the first reverse hit them the visitors earned a penalty corner in a counter-attack, and the tall Schreiber got up from the bench and walked in to stun India. And even as the Indians gathered their wits to launch a fightback, Schreiber was at it again, the ball crashing into the net, even before the Indians defenders could make the charge. The second knock took away the fluency from the Indians8217; play, and the third coming just before the half time hooter had almost sealed the third victory in four matches for the Germans.

Lack of finishing power was to dog India, yet again. And the Germans succeeded in tiding over the crisis with some doughty defending. Jan Peter Tewes and Claus Michler were solid, getting good support from their midfielders.

However, it was the forward line, and its poor striking power that was the main cause of worry again. In the second session, Baskaran kept changing his forward line but success came a little too late. The Indian fightback came when India replaced Mukesh Kumar with Samir Dad and Mishra took position on the far right.

Mishra scored the first goal and setting up Gavin Ferriera for the second. The first came off India8217;s third penalty corner, but the second goal was a beauty as Mishra collected a pass near the half line and weaved his way into the circle to send a reverse pass for an unmarked Gavin to score.