Classy Kookaburras crush Kiwis in Cup

THE Kookaburras’ revolution under coach Colin Batch has continued after routing New Zealand 6-0 to claim a 10th straight Oceania Cup.

Aran Zalewski and Tom Wickham led the scoring with a pair of goals each, while Dylan Wotherspoon and Jake Whetton also netted in a com- prehensive final win yesterday.

It was the second straight match the Kookaburras dominated their trans-Tasman rivals, having also put five past them earlier in the week.

Batch was quick to point out that New Zealand was missing some established players, but said the win showed the side was evolving.

“I spoke the other day about how we’re an emerging team and we want to become a really good team,” Batch said after the win.

“That says a lot, our performance today, that we’re heading in the right direction. But it’s the first time this group’s won a final. We’re on the way but we know we’ve got a lot of work to do.”

With two more tourna- ments over the next two months, the victory also sets the world No. 2 nation up to steal the top ranking from Argentina by the end of the year.

“If it comes along great. At the moment Argentina are in top position,” Batch said.

Earlier, coach Paul Gaudoin also praised the next generation of Hockeyroos after his team claimed the Oceania Cup with a hard-fought 2-0 win over New Zealand.

Jane Claxton scored early but it was 21-year-old Kristina Bates who doubled the lead with a contentious goal just before halftime in yesterday’s decider. The victory ensures the women’s national team is likely to retain fifth spot in the world rankings, one slot ahead of its trans-Tasman rivals.