Lankan Junior 'stickers' for Asian championship in Malaysia

by Jiffrey ABDEEN-Kandy Sports Corr

HOCKEY: An eighteen member Sri Lanka Junior National Hockey Team led by Deemal Dias of Ananda will leave the island this weekend to participate in the 7th Asian Junior Hockey Championship 2012 hosted by the Asian Hockey Federation which will be worked off at Malacca in Malaysia from May 3rd to 13th.

Sri Lanka team which last participated in this championship in 2005 will play in Group 'B' which will feature countries like the defending champions India, Pakistan, Malaysia.

The other participating countries in Group 'B' are China, Japan.

Korea and Iran. Bangladesh and Singapore have entered this championship, but have not confirmed their participatation and this will be known only on the day of the draw.

The coach of the Sri Lanka team and former national goal-keeper Anurudda Herath Bandara told the Sunday Observer that the team had been hard at practices on the Astro Turf of the Sports Ministry in Colombo, which, though rehabilitated, has still not been opened.

The Ministry of Sports gave special permission for the junior national hockey team to practise here as the facility at Matale is fully booked from 2 pm to 5. p.m. during week days.

He said that the team is strong in all departments and should give a good account of themselves they are in a stronger group which has the Asian giants India and Pakistan.

The team also included four schoolboy' stickers' in Dharutha Tenna (Vijaya College), Saheed Kuthubdeen (Royal College), Imad Muzzamil (Wesley College) and Anjana Ratnayake (Ananda College).

The full contingent is:

Deemal Dias, Nuwan Prematillake, Nadun Weerakody, Kasun Dunuweera, Tilina Sandaruwan, Amila Nisanka, Amila Ratnasiri, A.M.M.E. Heendeniya, Ahsan Alles, J. Surrendra. S.M. Gunawardena, Asanga Bandara, Madawa Perera, Damith Bandara, Saheed Kuthubdeen, Imad Muzamil, Dharutha Tenna, and Anjana Ratnayake, Officials: Dayal Deegahawature (Manager), K. Jayaratham (Chef de Misson), Anuruddha Herath Bandara (Head coach), A.N.P.C. Lanerolle (Assistant Coach), Indrawansa Herath (Judge), Chandana Herath Bandara. (Umpire)