A new technique has arrived in hockey to cure that murderous half-time thirst. The England players at the Commonwealth Games spent the half-time interval attached to a saline drip, such were the fluid-sapping conditions in Kuala Lumpur this week.

Highlighting the problems of the humid heat in a match played at fearsome pace, the English coach Barry Dancer pointed out the dangers of sweating. "It can be up to 4 kg weight loss if we are not careful. They were the hottest conditions we've played in," said Dancer. "We'll spend the next 24 hours doing nothing but sleeping and taking in fluids."

Cyclists, as we all know, have being doing this for many years. But surely some public relations outfit should explain to the English side that if they want kids to play the game they shouldn't have their half-time bench looking like a scene from ER. Can't see it catching on in a February Leinster League match in Tallaght on the sweeping plains of St Mark's Community School.