Development Pool team to play for Sri Lanka

by Leslie Fernando

NETBALL: The Netball Federation of Sri Lanka will conduct a Four Nation invitation netball tournament to be held from June 15 to 17 at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium.

According to Rio Ramlan, Secretary, Netball Federation of Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan and Maldives have confirmed their participation in this tournament. It will be a South Asian level tournament.

Sri Lanka will not field the national senior team but will play the Development Pool team consisting of players selected from the trials held on April 22 in preparation for the under-20 Junior Asian Netball Championships to be held in Hong Kong early next year, added Ramlan.

She said that Development Pool players will be under the newly appointed national coach Hyacinth Wijesinghe. It will be a good experience for our junior netballers playing in the Four-Nation tournament. Furthermore it should be noted that the teams from India, Pakistan and Maldives are not strong sides compared to our National side, said Ramlan.

The tournament will be played on a league basis and the best two teams will clash in the final.

She further added that Barbados netball team will be in Sri Lanka to play a series of matches with the Sri Lanka national team.

They are making the trip to Sri Lanka to play warm-up games prior to the World Championships to be held in October in Thailand. The NFSL is also making arrangements to play many international matches to gain more experience.

The NFSL will have to find the necessary funds for our netballers to play abroad. The NFSL will be looking for sponsors and also expect the full support from the Sports Ministry.

Former national netball captain and national coach, Yasa Ramachandra, a double international in netball and volleyball, has been appointed the chairman of the national selection committee. The other selectors are - Surangani Wijendra, Kumudini Gomes, K.D. Champa Ranjani, Sandya Jayasuriya.