There is a sense of keen anticipation in the Investec South African women’s hockey team’s camp as the first of 11 Test matches against world-class opposition during the Hartleyvale Summer Series draws near. Hartleyvale Hockey Stadium is the venue and first-up the exciting group of girls in green and gold get a chance to test themselves against the best when they face Olympic and World League champs The Netherlands at 4 pm Saturday. Few who were there will forget how hard the South Africans made the Dutch work for a 4-2 victory in the Investec Challenge gold medal match at Hartleyvale early last year Saturday sees the first match of a two-Test series against the Dutch, which is followed by a three-Test series against Australia’s Hockeyroos before a six-Test blockbuster features the South Africans against European rivals Belgium. With the much-anticipated 2014 Hockey World Cup finals beginning in The Hague, Netherlands on May 31, the non-stop action from Saturday to February 3 at Hartleyvale promises to give the SA team’s coaching staff the chance to get a good look at their personnel while it provides great experience under the pressures of match play for the players themselves. For the locals, the performances of their Western Province players - Tarryn Bright, Shelley Russell, Kathleen Taylor, Illse Davids, Quanita Bobbs, Hanli Hattingh and Erin Hunter - will be watched with special interest. INVESTEC SA TEAM (to play Netherlands and Australia) Marcelle Keet, Quanita Bobbs, Kelly Madsen, Sulette Damons, Bernie Coston, Marsha Cox, Pietie Coetzee, Shelley Russell, Tarryn Bright, Lilian du Plessis, Kathleen Taylor, Phume Mbande, Hanli Hattingh, Illse Davids, Celia Evans, Lisa Deetlefs, Dirkie Chamberlain, Erin Hunter, Sammy Prost and Anelle van Deventer. FIXTURES (all at Hartleyvale) JANUARY vs The Netherlands: Saturday 18th (4pm); Monday 20th (7pm) vs Australia: Wednesday 22nd (7pm); Friday 24th (7pm); Saturday 25th (4pm) vs Belgium: Sunday 26th (4pm); Tuesday 28th (8pm); Wednesday 29th (7pm); Friday 31st (7pm) FEBRUARY vs Belgium: Sunday 2nd (4 pm); Monday 3rd (7 pm) * Also at Hartleyvale, a Tuffy Western Province Invitation men’s team will play highly regarded Dutch Hoofdklasse side Amsterdam HC on January 28 and 30 at 6 pm and 7 pm respectively.
Posted on: Sat, 18 Jan 2014 08:10:26 +0000
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