Quality hockey could finaly be seen

And their request is not an oblong one for, the quality and class of hockey in the championship have been barely near the standards of a tournament that is billed as the selection trials for picking the first set of probables for the next Junior World Cup. The four semifinalists deservedly made the grade by their own right, no doubt, but the dearth of international standard8217; among the current junior players of the country is obvious.

A quick look at the path taken the four semifinalists would make the paucity of excellence more clear.

PSB were pushed to the wall in the preliminary poolC8217; league itself, where they had to fight tooth and nail with an ardent Orissa. And in the quarterfinal, they notched up a tactical8217; solitary goal win against an equally inept Punjab.

PSB8217;s semifinal rivals, Bombay, made mincemeat of the opposition in pool B, but were stretched to the limit by Karnataka before prevailing in the tie-breaker more due to a blunder by the hosts8217; think-tank.

Bengal and A-I maintained an all-win record in pool G and H respectively, but in the quarterfinals had to bring out the best to remain alive in the tournament. Bengal needed an opportunistic sudden-death goal by their skipper Iqbal Singh, while A-I had to rely on their international Deepak Thakur to deliver the goods against a doughty Uttar Pradesh.

And it will be no different when A-I play Bengal in the semis. The responsibility of keeping the attacks going would again fall on Prabhjot Singh and Deepak Thakur. The duo have been combining well and it was their efforts that put Air-India into the semifinal.

Bengalcoach Divnain Singh was nonchalant about playing a much superior opponent. 8220;They are a very organised side, but we have our ways to tackle them. We certainly have a few tricks in our bags,8221; he said with a wink. The first of the semifinals would also be one between a side that has been groomed 8212; PSB 8212; and one that has come together just for this competition.

The return of Mandip Singh, who watched the quarterfinals from the stands serving a card suspension, would give PSB a shot in their arm. Ajitpal Singh and Prabhjot Singh will bear the burden of the front-line, which should be a nagging point in Bombay coach Satinderpal Singh Walia8217;s mind.

Walia has Stanley Fernandez and Asad Khan to take care of his attack, but his side will need his tactical brilliance to see them through.

Form and fame point to an A-I versus PSB finals, but a surprise result would be most welcome.