India down Australia 'A'

Young Sandeep Michael scored a fine brace as India got the better of Australia 'A' 4-3 in their second match in the Hockey Australia Men's Challenge in Sydney on Thursday.

In an earlier match, Australia beat Pakistan by the same margin to make sure of a place in Sunday's final.

Australia's final opponents will be known after the India - Pakistan match on Saturday.

Tristram Woodhouse put the Aussie 'A' team ahead in the sixth minute, but Dilip Tirkey restored parity for India in the 23rd.

Grant Schubert regained the lead for the Aussies six minutes later before Michael could get the first of his goals three minutes from half-time.

In the second session, Prabhjot Singh put India ahead but Woodhouse scored his second goal of the match in the 50th minute to enable Australia 'A' draw level.

But two minutes later Michael was again on target to clinch the issue for the Indians.

In the Australia - Pakistan match, Jamie Dwyer stole the limelight, firing in three goals, including two in four minutes midway through the second session in a 4-3 victory for the hosts.

Midfielder Ben Taylor put the Aussies ahead in the eighth minute, but Mahammad Shabbir restored parity for the Pakistanis within a minute. 

Dwyer made it 2-1 in the 19th minute, finishing off on a pass from Michael McMann.

But Pakistan drew abreast through Mudassar Khan in the 39th minute and then went ahead for the first time in the match when Shakeel Abbasi scored in the 48th minute off a penalty-corner rebound.

It was then Dwyer's turn to take centrestage as he scored his second and third goals. His second goal, in the 54th minute, was a beauty, scored from an acute angle from the right, while, the third, in the 58th minute, was a crisp reverse stick shot.

Those two quick goals flattened the Pakistanis. The hosts, who were without key players Matthew Wells and Paul Gaudoin, held possession in the latter stages of the match to clinch victory.