Hockey: Bertram goal gives Britain victory in Tri-Nations victory

Great Britain, with a historic second successive victory over Pakistan, won the Tri-Nations Tournament here yesterday when they beat Pakistan 2-1 in the final game of the series. Australia finished third.

Great Britain, with a historic second successive victory over Pakistan, won the Tri-Nations Tournament here yesterday when they beat Pakistan 2-1 in the final game of the series. Australia finished third.

Britain's victory hopes took a setback during the warm-up when the penalty corner specialist Ben Hawes strained a calf muscle and was replaced by Jerome Goudie. The absence of Hawes was emphasised when Britain wasted five penalty corners in the first 15 minutes. Danny Hall, Niall Stott, Jimmy Wallis and Barry Middleton were also guilty of wasting good scoring chances as Britain's control of the midfield created a string of scoring chances.

The second half opened dramatically as Goudie, collecting the ball at the top of the circle, calmly placed the ball past Salman Akbar in the Pakistan goal. Stunned by this setback, Pakistan attacked down their right for the first time in the game with the equaliser coming in the 45th minute as Kashif Jawad converted Mudassar Ali's cross. Britain returned to the attack, regaining the lead in the 56th minute when Tom Bertram slammed their eighth penalty corner into the back-boards.

Britain's squad depart to South America on 23 June for a five-Test series against Argentina. The 16-man squad here, plus the three injured players, David Mathews (calf), Craig Parnham (groin) and Martin Jones (broken hand) who missed out on the Cannock-Nottingham Tri-Nations Tournament, make up the party.