Govers slams hat-trick, Australia thrash India 7-4 in 2nd hockey Test
Adelaide (PTI): India could play well only in patches as Blake Govers slammed a brilliant hat-trick to guide Australia to a dominating 7-4 win in the high-scoring second hockey Test here on Sunday.
Skipper Harmanpreet Singh struck even before the home team could settle, firing India to a third-minute lead with his precise and powerful penalty corner conversion.
India looked threatening up front and Harmanpreet almost converted a second one but the home team began to call the shots soon with Govers and Jack Welch leading the goal spree.
The Men in Blue dished out an inspiring show in the third quarter and trailed by just one goal at 3-4, but were blown away in the final 15 minutes due to a sloppy defense.
India endured its 12th straight loss to the world number one side and now need to win the next two games to keep the five-match series alive.
The third Test of the World Cup build-up series will be played on Wednesday.
Having scored the winning goals in their close 5-4 victory in the first Test, Govers was once again in the thick of action.
He scored his goals in the 12th (PC), 27th and 53rd (penalty) minutes, while Welch secured his brace with his strikes in the 17th and 24th minutes.
Jake Whetton (49th) and Jacob Anderson (48th) were the other goal scorers for the Kookaburras led by Eddie Ockenden, who became the only seventh player in history to make at least 400 International appearances.
Hardik Singh (25th) and Mohammed Raheel (PC 36th) struck the other two goals for India, while Harmanpreet completed his brace in the final minute (60th) of the match from a penalty.
India had a counter-attacking start to their game with Mandeep Singh winning the first penalty corner in the third minute.
Skipper Harmanpreet made no fuss about it as the dragflick specialist smashed to the bottom left corner with his powerful effort to give India the early lead.
Indian defence was rock solid in the first quarter when they thwarted four PCs with perfection but Govers finally made his presence felt with his powerful shot on the reverse to bring it level.
Player-of-the-match Harvie dished out some attractive stick work with Whetton in the attacking circle before feeding Welch who slotted it home from a close range to make it 2-1
In space of seven minutes, Welch brought up his brace when he scored from a rebound to make it 3-1.
But soon, Hardik reduced the deficit to 2-3 with five minutes left in the first-half when he nicely intercepted the ball to raid the Australian D.
Australian defence had no answer to Hardik's fiery raid as he seized control of the possession before smashing it home with a solo effort.
Govers completed his brace before the halftime to restore their two-goal cushion scoring from a field goal.
India made it 3-4 with a well-executed penalty corner this time by the promising Mohammed Raheel in the third quarter.
Going wide with his dragflick this time, Harmanpreet passed it through to Raheel who created a little pocket in front with the deflection to score past Benjamin Rennie.
Thereafter it was a one-way traffic for the Kookaburras as India put up an extremely shoddy show in the fourth quarter.
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Accused gunman at correspondents' dinner was believed to be targeting top officials, Blanche says
Washington (AP): The accused gunman who tried to storm the ballroom at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner with guns and knives travelled across the country before the event and is believed to have been targeting members of the Trump administration, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday.
Blanche also said officials believe the suspect traveled by train from California to Chicago and then on to Washington, where in recent days he checked in as a guest to the hotel where one of Washington's glitziest events was being held Saturday night.
Investigators have not publicly named the suspect, but two law enforcement officials familiar with the matter have identified him to The Associated Press as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California.
Law enforcement officials who have examined the gunman's electronic devices and his writings preliminarily believe he intended to target administration members in attendance at the dinner. He attempted to charge into the cavernous ballroom at the Washington Hilton but was tackled to the ground in a chaotic scene that resulted in shots being fired, President Donald Trump being hurried off the stage and guests ducking for cover beneath their tables.
“It does appear that he did in fact set out to target folks who work in the administration, likely including the president,” Blanche told NBC's “Meet the Press.”
The suspect is believed to have purchased the firearms he carried within the last couple of years, Blanche said. He is not being cooperative and is expected to face multiple charges on Monday.
Video posted by Trump showed the suspect running past security barricades as Secret Service agents ran toward him. One officer was shot in a bullet-resistant vest but was recovering, officials said. The gunman was taken into custody and was not injured, but was being evaluated at a hospital, police said.
“He failed,” Blanche said on CBS's “Face the Nation.” “Law enforcement did their jobs.”
Social media posts that appear to match the suspect show he is a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer.
A May 2025 profile photo of Allen appears to match the appearance of the man in a photo of the alleged attacker being taken into custody that was posted Saturday night by Trump. The photo, posted to the social networking site LinkedIn, shows him in a cap and gown after graduating with a master's degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills.
Allen earned a bachelor's degree in 2017 in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. He listed his involvement there in a Christian student fellowship and a campus group that battled with Nerf guns.
The shooting at the security barricades happened minutes after the event got underway.
The Secret Service and other authorities swarmed the room as guests ducked under tables by the hundreds. Gasps echoed through the ballroom as guests realized something was happening. Hundreds of journalists immediately got on phones to call in information.
“Out of the way, sir!” someone yelled. Others yelled to duck. From one corner, a “God Bless America” chant began as the president was escorted offstage. Outside the hotel, members of the National Guard and other authorities flooded the area as helicopters circled overhead.
After an initial attempt to resume the event, it was scrapped for the night and will be rescheduled.
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