MELBOURNE – Hosts Australia were 9-1 at the end of play on Day 1 of the ongoing the International Festival of Hockey at Melbourne’s State Netball Hockey Centre on Wednesday.
Batting first, Blake Govers’ scored three runs – two off penalty corners and another field run – while Aaron Kleinschmidt scored a double each.
Australia scored the first run in the eighth minute from a penalty corner from the top of the circle, as Jeremy Hayward middled the ball perfectly. Jake Whetton scored the second run through a switch hit after another four minutes.
Australia were 3 for no loss at lunch, with Abubakr Mahmood giving Pakistan the first breakthrough two minutes into the second session. But the hosts scored six more runs before the end of day’s play to finish at 9 for 1 heading into Day 2.
The conditions clearly suited the Aussies, with Pakistan failing to move the ball around. The spinners didn’t prove much affective either.
Pakistan were advised to improve their line and length, and increase the pace of the attack, from the start of play on Day 2 against Japan.