22 May 2004	Saturday	02 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

ISLAMABAD, May 21: Brig Musarratullah Khan, secretary of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) announced on Friday that the dates and venues for this fall's series with India would be finalised by the end of the month.

Das Gupta, the event manager of the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) was to arrive in Lahore on Friday evening to discuss marketing issues and other matters with the Pakistani officials.

The series planned for September-October following the Olympic Games in August will feature four matches in Pakistan and as many in India. "The venues on our side are expected to be Karachi, Lahore, Quetta and Peshawar," said Musarrat, speaking at a "Meet the Press' programme conducted by the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Sports Journalists Association (RISJA).

The series likely to be held between Sept 26 and Oct 14 will be an annual feature with a similar exchange on the junior level planned for March. "The response from the marketing point of view has been very encouraging so far and we are certainly going to benefit financially."

The PHF plans to hold a match under lights at Karachi and another one at Lahore where arrangements are being made for night games. "We have procured the lights and at the moment are looking for companies to install them at the National Stadium."

The stadium which will also host the elite Champions Trophy in December is being equipped with an artificial pitch. "We will have the turf in place by August 31 and an electronic scoreboard by July."

Pakistan, Musarrat said, will have 15 artificial pitches installed by the end of next year. "Between 1976-2000, 16 pitches were laid, while in just four years we will have 15."

Karachi, that now has a brand new astroturf, Peshawar, Quetta, Sialkot, Abbottabad, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Rawalakot and Khushab are the centres that figure on PHF list. Also in line are the cities of Sukkur, Swat and Mardan.

On the coaching front, the PHF is to hold a high-profile clinic in Karachi shortly under national coach Roelant Oltmans which will be attended by as many as 26 coaches. A similar clinic for umpires will take place in Peshawar.

Musarrat defended PHF's decision to hire Oltmans who is a Dutchman and other foreigners and said it was part of the federation's overall structural plan. "We put Tahir (Zaman) as the deputy so that he could learn from Oltmans' vast experience and also to relieve him of the pressure he was under as the chief coach earlier on."

Musarrat pointed out that the PHF had succeeded somewhat in broadening the base of players that was an area of concern when he took over in 2000. "Today we have 60 to 70 senior players, as many as 80 under-21s and over 100 in the age bracket of 17 to 18 years."

He made it clear that efforts would continue to further enhance the base, which at one time provided only 40 to 45 senior players for selection. On the financial health, Musarrat said that the PHF today had adequate money in its kitty and had an effective marketing and administrative wings. "The organisational inadequacies that existed before are being overcome."