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Champions
Trophy The
curious case of Mid-season transfer report cards
Champions Trophy A statistical overview The Hockey Champions
Trophy is the International Hockey Federation’s most prestigious
annual event (since 1978). A Brainchild of Air Marshal Nur Khan, former
president of Pakistan Hockey Federation, it features the world’s
top-ranked teams. Pakistan initiated the competition as a men’s
tournament in 1978 and also presented the beautiful trophy. The
tournament has been an annual affair since 1980 for men and since 1987
for women. In the men’s
tournament, the Australians have won the trophy eleven, the Germans
nine, and the Dutch eight times. Pakistan are the only Asian champions,
with three titles to their name including the first two in 1978 and
1980. Usually six teams qualify for the championship, though the first
edition had five teams, the second had seven and 1987 and 2007 had
eight. In the year following the Olympics or a World Cup, the six teams
include the hosts, the defending champions, the world champions and the
next highest ranked teams from either the most recent World Cup or
Olympic Games. The last-placed team
in the tournament is dropped and replaced by the winner of the Champions
Challenge, which was introduced in 2001 and can be considered as the
Champions Trophy for so called B-nations. From 1978 till 1991
only a Round Robin was played. From the 1992 edition on, after the Round
Robin, play-off matches are played between the numbers 1 and 2 (Final),
3 and 4 and 5 and 6 to determine final standings. The 2011 edition
already under progress in Auckland (New Zealand) is unique. For the
first time ever there would be no round-robin but two pools of four
teams each. The top two teams from each pool would play the semifinals
followed by the final. Apart from the six teams selected via the above
discussed criterion, two additional teams, Korea and Pakistan have been
invited based on their world rankings at the time. This edition also sees
a new host of Champions Trophy in New Zealand. Of the 32 previous
editions, Pakistan have hosted the Champions Trophy as many as eleven
times while Holland have held it six times and Australia and Germany on
five occasions each. India and Malaysia twice each and Spain had the
honour once. Out of the eleven
occasions in Pakistan, the Champions Trophy has been held six times in
Karachi and five times in Lahore. Countries with most
appearances: Australia 31, Netherlands 30, Germany 29, Pakistan 28.
France have made only one appearance (1992). Only five teams have
won the Champions Trophy so far; each of them has won at least once in
Pakistan. Best runs- three
victories on trot: Australia (1983-85 and 2008-10) and Germany
(1986-88). If Australi wins this time it would be a record breaking
fourth consecutive win The highest number of
goals scored in a single CT is 136, in the second version at Karachi in
1980. The lowest number of
goals scored in a single event is 46 goals, also at Karachi in 1986 The highest number of
goals scored by a team in a single tournament is 32- Pakistan in 1980 The least number of
goals conceded by a team in a single tournament is two - Germany (1995) Five times, the teams
had perfect campaigns i.e. winning all the matches: Pakistan in 1978 and
1980, Netherlands in 2000, Germany in 2001, Australia in 2010 Biggest win:
Australia bt France 9-2 in 1992
The players with the
most men’s Champions Trophy gold medals are Jeroen Delmee, Teun de
Nooijer, Sander van der Weide and Guss Vogels (all NED) and Carsten
Fischer (GER), who have won 6 gold medals each Most Appearances:
Teun de Nooijer (NED) 16 followed by Jeroen Delmee (NED) 15 Three players have
picked up twelve career Champions Trophy medals: Dutchmen Teun de
Nooijer and Jeroen Delmee, and Australiaís Craig Davies The top three scorers
in the CT are Taeke Taekema (NED) — 45 goals, Teun de Nooijer (NED)
— 42 goals, Sohail Abbas (PAK) — 40 goals Paul Litjens (NED)
with 15 goals in 1980 holds the record for a single edition
Teun de Nooijer (NED)
has scored in 15 consecutive CT events In a single match,
three players have scored five goals: all three are Dutch - Paul Litjens
v Britan in 1981, Ties Kruise v Pakistan in 1982, Taco Van Honert vs
Pakistan in1993 Yet another Dutch
player, Floris Jan Bovalander, owns the record for the highest number of
hat-tricks, he made it four times. The fastest hat-trick
in a Champions Trophy match was scored by Australia’s Colin Batch, in
only nine minutes against Holland in 1980 The highest number of
goals in a final match is four, by Germany’s Andreas Becker against
Australia in 1992 Pakistan’s Hanif
Khan is generally credited with the fastest goal in a Champions Trophy
match, when he put his side ahead after just 11 seconds, against Holland
in 1984 The
first ever goal in the Champions Trophy was scored by Pakistan’s
forward, Shahnaz Sheikh, against New Zealand (1978). When Germany performed
a hat-trick of victories at the Champions Trophy from 1986-88, they were
led by Heins Dopp on each of the three occasions. Shahbaz Ahmed
skippered Pakistan as many as six times, 1990 to 1995, a record for the
Champions Trophy. PAKISTANí S RECORDS: Pakistan appeared in
28 out of the 32 editions (didnít figure in 2000 and the last three
i.e. 2008 from 2010) Three golds: 1978
(1st), 1980 (2nd) and 1994 (16th) Six silvers: 1983,
1984, 1988, 1991, 1996 and1998 Six bronze: 1986,
1992, 1995, 2002, 2003 and 2004 Seven times 4th
position: 1981, 1982, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1993 and 2001 Thrice 5th position:
1997, 2005 and 2006 Once 6th: 1999 Twice 7th: 1987 and
2007 Pakistan won the first
and the second Champion Trophy events but had to wait for 14 years for
their third win, in 1994 — All three
Pakistani victories were achieved on home soil. — Shahbaz Ahmad and
the two goalkeepers: Shahid Ali Khan and Mansoor Ahmed have the maximum
appearances (10) in the Champions Trophy for Pakistan. Apart from Shahbaz
Ahmed, who captained Pakistan six times, only three players have
captained Pakistan on more than one occasion. Hanif Khan, Mansoor Ahmed
and M. Sarwar all skippered Pakistan in two editions of champions Trophy — Penalty corner
expert Sohail Abbas has been Pakistan’s overall top scorer with 40
goals followed by inside-left Hanif Khan — 21 goals. Sohail Abbas is
Pakistan’s top goal-getter in a single edition as well, with nine
goals in 2003. — After his
appearance in 1995 champions Trophy, Shahbaz Ahmad next appeared in
2001, a gap of six years — Apart from Shahbaz Ahmed, who won the
Player of the Tournament award twice (1991 and 1992), five other
Pakistanis have won this coveted award: Shahid Ali Khan (1983), Hanif
Khan (1984), late Qazi Mohib (1988), Khawaja Junaid (1994) and Dr. Atif
Bashir (1998). . Pakistan’s biggest
victories in the Champions Trophy came in the second edition (1980) when
Pakistan defeated both India and Australia by an identical margin of
7-1. Pakistan’s heaviest
defeat is 2-9 by Holland in 2006. In 1984, Pakistan team
had three real brothers in Manzoor Hussain Jr (captain), Maqsood Hussain
and Mahmood Hussain, all of them forwards, who in one match played
together. Apart from the above
trio, six pairs of brothers have represented Pakistan in the Champions
Trophy: Samiullah and Kaleemullah, Manzoorul Husan and Rasheedul Hasan,
Imran Yousuf and Irfan Yousuf, Raheem Khan and Imran Khan, Mohammad
Anees and Mohammad Asim, Mohammad Sarwar and Mohammad Zubair. Compiled
by Ijaz Chaudhry ijaz62@hotmail.com Performance
by nation Team
Champions
Runners-up Third-place Australia
11
10
4 Germany#
9
7
6 Netherlands
8
5
7 Pakistan
3 6
6 Spain
1
1
3 Korea
0
1
2 Great
Britain^
0
2
2 India
0
0
1 Argentina
0
0
1 New
Zealand
0
0
0 Soviet
Union
0
0
0 France
0
0
0 # Include
West Germany ^ Include
England
The
curious case of I recently happened to
meet a dejected but very optimistic and hopeful Danish Kaneria who’s
petition seeking to be cleared for selection by the PCB filed in the
Sindh High Court and ably argued by Dr Farough Naseem has been dismissed
on ground of lacking jurisdiction since the PCB head office is based in
Lahore, Punjab. Whether the decision is challenged before the Superior
Courts remains to be seen, but given Farough Naseem’s prowess over
constitutional matters it is almost foreseeable that the decision will
be challenged for obvious reasons. More importantly what it signifies is
the lack of professionalism by the PCB headed by Ijaz Butt in handling
the sensitive issue of Danish Kaneria’s involvement in spot-fixing
after having been cleared by the local police in Essex. Kaneria has been
Pakistan premiere leg-spinner over the last decade or so and albeit
having been a little expensive he has been a threat ably used by the
likes of Inzamam and Co. Having mastered the art of leg spin; a dying
art which seems to have died out ever since the exit of Shane Warne,
Kaneria if anything has kept it alive, making it a joy to watch a leg
spinner in full flow. A fine bowler having the ability to bowl long
spells and keeping one end in check in terms of keeping the flow of runs
down to a minimum, Kaneria’s ability to take wickets relied on out
thinking the batsmen over a period of time. We may be harsh in
criticising him by saying he conceded way too many runs for the wickets
he took and the time he consumed but in this criticism we often forget
the prevailing circumstances’ of Pakistan cricket and his selfless
services in that hour of need. We must not forget that Kaneria was a
permanent member of the side during a period when the team was going
through a rebuilding phase. During Inzamam’s era when Bob Woolmer
rebuilt the team and led Pakistan to draw the test series in India, it
was in that third Test that Kaneria was instrumental in taking Pakistan
to victory with his magical and at time unreadable leg spin bowling. It
is these performances that merit a place for Kaneria in the team,
bowling selflessly for hours without any support from the other end
being the lone spinner. It’s this ability to bowl long spells, try
different variations and keep trying which makes Kaneria special. One
must also not forget his luck with Kamran Akmal and his faulty hands,
being the culprit behind so many of Kaneria’s dropped catches, at
times making him look ineffective and prolonging matters, the Sydney
being one such prime example. In order for a
leg-spinner to be successful apart from having the art of leg spin along
with its variations, having the required paraphernalia in terms of good
fielders around the bat is important. A prime example is that of Shane
Warne and Anil Kumble, in Warne’s case it Healy who kept to him and
then later the legendary Gilchrist, both of whom hardly ever missed,
followed by the close in fielders like Mark Taylor at first Slip
followed by Mark Waugh added to his bowling prowess. Similarly for
Kumble, Dravid has been an excellent slip fielder and a permanent member
of the side for the last 16 years supported by good close in fielders
such as Laxman who have supported Kumble throughout his illustrious
career. Kaneria quite hasn’t had the same paraphernalia in terms of
fielding support due to the constant chopping and changing in the
Pakistan side in the last decade or so. The side has never really looked
settled and has been through turbulent times making it difficult for
Kaneria to rely on youngsters and at times veterans who haven’t been
sure of their place in the side either. In such uncertain times and
Kamran’s dismal show behind the stumps, Kaneria’s case merits
special consideration. His stats today would read a different story had
he been supported in the same fashion as his counterparts. Another tragedy in
Kaneria’s case is that of labeling him as a test cricketer, confining
him to the boundaries of test cricket and selecting him only for Test
matches. This plague seems to spread in the cricket board setup every
few years resulting in the sacrifice of an able cricketer who could have
been a great something which is beyond comprehension. Saeed Anwar one of
Pakistan’s greatest batsmen was initially also only considered for
Tests but due to some act of God was selected and never looked back.
However, poor Kaneria has suffered for no reason whatsoever. His
selection in the one day side would have contributed largely to his
development as a wicket taking bowler and more so as an attacking bowler
with more variations coupled with Shahid Afridi making a deadly attack
potent enough to bother any side in the world. It’s a pity that
Kaneria now that the team has settled and is part of a winning
combination is not able to feature even if in the test side. With Saeed
Ajmal going great guns, Kaneria would be the ideal partner something he
has longed for all throughout his career when he has been the lonesome
warrior, offering variations that are unplayable from both ends. With the new PCB
chairman in field now and his reputation of running the PCB like an
organisation in a very professional manner, one can perhaps hope that
Kaneria’s case will be looked into and we may see him in Pakistani
colours one more time or at least be cleared for selection. Zaka
Ashraf’s fair-play approach as in the case of Afridi who’s return to
the side almost immediately after Ijaz Butt’s departure breathes new
life into Kaneria’s case and even though spot fixing remains a
sensitive issue Kaneria having been cleared through and through by the
Essex police merits a chance to be considered for selection in the
backdrop of his monumental and selfless service to Pakistan cricket. The
writer is a Barrister practicing in the High. umairkazi@gmail.com
Mid-season
transfer report cards There is always much
fervour and anticipation when the new season kicks off in any football
league, let alone in Europe, where transfer activity lights up the
summer, and come this time of year, fans, club managers and their teams
have all had the chance to see just what the incoming players are made
of. The structure of the domestic European football season conveniently
makes December a half-way point, and suitable for a school-like report
card comparison of the performance for some landmark signings made by
the various clubs. We can start things
off by looking at the most extravagant spenders of the last few seasons,
Manchester City. The key signing for them was that of Atletico
Madrid’s Argentine striker Sergio ‘Kun’ Aguero. Aguero’s arrival
at the stadium formerly known as Eastlands was engineered around the
alienation of his compatriot and erstwhile club talisman Carlos Tevez.
The latter’s falling out with the club management prompted City to
search for an alternative to the man responsible for dragging the club
to their first trophy almost single handed. Aguero quickly set to work
after his arrival in Manchester, with no fuss made about shifting from
one country to another, or from one league to another with a different
style of play. He was here to perform, and he has done so exceptionally.
While he is just one goal behind this season’s top scorer Edin Dzeko,
Aguero is responsible for more assists, and his ability both to dribble
and pass, combined with the exquisite vision of Silva, allows City to
play a fluid brand of football that is easy on the eye. As far as summer
signings go, Aguero is the standout performer and a worthy acquisition,
having played a huge part in bringing City to the top of the Premier
League table. While their so-called
‘noisy neighbours’ were busily scouring Europe for its finest
talents, defending champions Manchester United were content in picking
out transfer targets from within the Premier League. Ashley Young
arrived from Aston Villa, and Phil Jones from Blackburn, while the
replacement of Edwin Van der Sar arrived in the form of Atletico
Madrid’s David de Gea. So far, for all of United’s inconsistency,
all three players have thrived. Phil Jones looks more and more the
natural leader for United’s defence, which is undergoing a changing of
the guard from the time of Ferdinand and Vidic, while De Gea has picked
up the pace after some jittery displays early on in the season. One
aspect of his that was highlighted soon after his arrival at Old
Trafford was his tendency to be caught out by shots at goal from
distance. These concerns have been put paid to, and the young Spaniard
has shown consistent improvement in all aspects of his game. At the
other end of the pitch, Ashley Young has gelled well with his
counterpart on United’s opposite wing, Nani, to wreak havoc with quick
passing and accurate crosses into the box to service the United strike
force of Rooney and Wellbeck. Young hit the ground running and combined
with the rest of a youthful front line, looks set to be a longer term
replacement for the wily Ryan Giggs on the left flank. Arsenal manager Arsene
Wenger had to suffer the departures of Gael Clichy, Cesc Fabregas and
Samir Nasri in quick succession, and there was a time not too long ago
when all in the media branded Arsenal as a club in crisis, with little
hope of salvation. The manager finally caved to demands that had been
made by fans and analysts alike in addressing the various shortages up
and down the pitch. Although all three arrivals were secured near the
transfer deadline, Mikel Arteta, Per Mertesacker and Andre Santos have
performed well enough to justify their inclusion in the new Arsenal
side, while Gervinho brings more energy than end product, akin to
Walcott but further up the pitch. Arteta brings defensive discipline
with a wide range of passes, although the Spaniard will constantly be in
the need of a true ball winner, one he currently has in the shape of
Alex Song. Mertesacker has been a regular starter for Germany for some
time now, and his shortcomings in pace and sheer strength come second to
his ability to read the game and avoid getting trapped. That said,
Mertesacker shines only when supported by a more rugged defender, and
for this, he becomes wholly dependent on the often inconsistent Laurent
Koscielny. The latter goes missing in games sometimes, and in the
absence of regular showings by the club’s first choice defender Thomas
Vermaelen, one feels Mertesacker will not be able to show his best
football. Andre Santos appears to be a left back in the Arsenal mould,
in that he is more of a left winger in disguise. The Brazilian is fond
of forays into the opposition half, but does not track back effectively
enough and this leaves Arsenal exposed on the counter attack. Couple
this with the fact that his defensive abilities come secondary to his
attacking instinct, and you get the feel that Wenger is still searching
for a replacement for Ashley Cole. Lastly, there is
Liverpool. The Reds picked up quite a few players over the summer,
picking up Henderson from Sunderland, Downing from Aston Villa, Adam
from Blackpool and Jose Enrique from Newcastle, with the late arrival of
Sebastian Coates from Uruguay’s Nacional. The midfield area was
clearly considered crucial from manager Kenny Dalglish’s point of
view, and to that effect, Liverpool still find themselves looking for
some consistent creativity. Downing is quite capable of taking defenders
on and whipping in crosses, but the winger does not get as involved in
play as he used to at Aston Villa, though this is perhaps owed to the
fact that Liverpool appear to have a clear guideline that all play must
be channelled through Adam in the centre of midfield. The left footer has
done a good enough job, and is a big threat from dead ball situations,
but even he has yet to consistently perform in every game. Henderson has
mostly been restricted to the role of a substitute, and quite often
played out on the right wing rather than his favoured central midfield
position. The layoff to the outstanding Lucas, who is out for the rest
of the season, may give Henderson a better chance to prove his
credentials. Jose Enrique has proven himself a tireless worker,
marauding forward to support Suarez and Downing on the left, and
tracking back to help out his central defenders. However, the Spaniard
is prone to lapses in concentration, particularly when he is caught
watching the ball rather than covering incoming attackers at the far
post. Coates has not featured much for the Reds, and the lanky Uruguayan
will need more exposure to show if he is the replacement for Sammi
Hyppia that Liverpool are still seeking. zainhq@gmail.com
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