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| Sunday, 18 July 2004 |
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4th Asian Youth Netball C'ships: Sri Lanka confident of retaining title by Leslie Fernando Reigning champions Sri Lanka await with bated breath and unshaken resolve their chance to defend the title and prove they are still on top at the seven-day 4th Asian Youth Netball Championships hosted by the Interim Committee of the Netball Federation of Sri Lanka and with the blessings from the Asian Netball Federation from July 24 to 30 at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium. Last time runners-up Singapore Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Maldives and India and holders Sri Lanka will play on round robin basis with the two best sides battling out in the finals for the Cup. Singapore and Malaysia, with their formidable reputation and recent knockout performances, can't wait to get their hands on the cup! The Thailand lasses could pull off a surprise, while Hong Kong, Maldives and India are equally confident that they have got what it takes to emerge winners. Lankan netballers have performed exceptionally well in the two previous tournaments. In 2002 Sri Lanka became champions defeating Singapore in the final played in Malaysia, and in the second championships Sri Lanka emerged champions in 1999 defeating Malaysia in the final played in New Delhi. Meanwhile, in the inaugural tournament in 1996, Sri Lanka was placed runner-up to Singapore. The new look Lankan netball team with only four experienced players in Skipper Gishanthi Jayakody, Shani Nisansala vice-captain, Anjalee Lokuliyana and Sandun Bollagala will have to play a key role for Sri Lanka to retain the title. With hard raining and several warm up games against several top clubs in Colombo the Lankan lasses are certain to perform well, according to coach Padma Gunawardena and her deputy Deepthi de Alwis. The Organising Committee headed by Tamara Dharmakeerthi Herath who is the Chairperson of the Interim Committee of the Netball Federation of Sri Lanka is going flat out to make this championship a successful one. The match schedule from July 24 to 30 - Malaysia vs Singapore, Sri Lanka vs Thailand, Malaysia vs Thailand, Sri Lanka vs Singapore, Maldives vs India, Malaysia vs India, Sri Lanka vs Maldives, Singapore vs Thailand, Singapore vs India, Sri Lanka vs Malaysia, Thailand vs Maldives. Malaysia vs Maldives, Sri Lanka vs India, Singapore vs Maldives, Thailand vs India. The finals will be played on July 30. Sri Lanka team - Gishanthi Jayakoddy (Visakha Vidyalaya), Shani Nissansala (Bomiriya), Anjalee Lokuliyana (SLITT-Malabe Campus), Sanduni Bollagala (Maliyadeva BV), Pabasala Gunasekera (Hatton National Bank), Chamila Priyani (Sri Lanka Police), Rasuni Karunarathna (Sirimavo Bandaranaike BV), Priscilla Koch (Lyceum International, Nithya Rajalathuum (Hindu Ladies College, Jaffna), Shereen Nugera (St. Joseph's BV), Iresha Koralagodage (Rippon Girls College), Nadeesha de Silva (Kalutara BV), Dinusha Perera (stand by) Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya. |
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