Lanka down Hong Kong in straight sets

Bernard PERERA in Bangkok

Sri Lanka beat Hong Kong yesterday in straight sets in a Group E match. It was Sri Lanka all the way from the very moment it started with them taking the lead. They kept the pressure on their opponents through out. Hong Kong players tried to give the Lankan pair Wasantha Ratnapala and Mahesh Perera a scare.But the Lankan duo was never troubled and moved steadily to complete the set at 21-13.

In the second set too the Lankans prevailed compiling the set without any difficulty 21-7 to take the set and the match to be in contention for a place in the final sixteen.

Sri Lanka failed to maintain their unbeaten record yesterday losing to Laos in the third game 2-1 in the Kahnom Asian Beach Volleyball championship now in progress here in Khanom City Beach resort.

However the Lankans hold on their top position in group F which they gained after previous day’s two victories. Dhammika Silva and Pubudu Ekanayake who represented the Lanka ‘A’ team got off good start and were off to a lead 3-0. But the Laosians tried to make strong comeback which was denied by the Lankans. With a fine combination of the Lankan players they moved swiftly to win set at 21-12.

Lankans, entered the third set with confidence and moved ahead smoothly looking for the most wanted win here.

But few errors at this stage saw Lankans give away few points which Laosians the upper hand. Making good use of this Laosians collected points at every given opportunity and equalized at 12 all. Lankans giving away two points through their faults lost the set and the match 15-13.

The Lankan women Takshila Gunasinghe and W.W. Sujeeva who entered the courts for the first time had to face the toughest team from Japan and went down in straight sets.