By David Gold at the Riverbank Arena on the Olympic Park in London 

Riverbank Arena_May_4May 3 - A day after Australia's coach Ric Charlesworth criticised the hockey pitch (pictured) at the Riverbank Arena on the Olympic Park, the field has been defended GB women's hockey coach Danny Kerry and London 2012.


Charlesworth had lamented the loss of defender Graeme Begbie to an anterior cruciate ligament injury after falling during their victory over India yesterday, ruling him out of London 2012.

Begbie had only recently recovered from a bad knee injury.

"Every Olympics it's the same thing, they put in new surfaces and don't wear them in before we play," he said.

"We've lost Begbie and it's heart-breaking for him.

"The pitch is an issue: you make more mistakes than you would like and it brings down the standard of the game.

"The ball bobbles a fair bit and it doesn't reward skill.

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"We have been playing on the one [blue pitch] in Perth for three months and it started off good and then it went bad and now it's getting better."

There were one or two slips during today's game between Britain and China in the women's tournament, which the hosts won 3-0 after an impressive performance, as well as signs that some players were misjudging the run of the ball.

That said, there was also some excellent link play, particularly by Britain in the lead up to their second goal scored by Susie Gilbert here today.

Speaking to insidethegames afterwards, Kerry defended the surface, while also sympathising with Charlesworth.

"I think all new pitches are like this and I think there will be no doubt it will be perfect during the Games," he said.

"Would you have us play an Olympic Games on an old pitch?

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"I feel terribly sorry for the chap who has done his anterior cruciate ligament but you can do those anywhere."

London 2012's head of venues, James Bulley, also leapt to the defence of the field.

"We put down the hockey field of play a year before the Olympic competition starts," he said.

"Before even the stands were built we've had players playing on that field.

"So it's had it's time to bed in properly.

"It's followed exactly the International Hockey Federation requirements in terms of the bedding-in process, the specification.

"So that's the appropriate way to manage and build the facility."

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