Sri Lanka netball team off for Asian Championships

NETBALL: Sri Lanka netball team, led by ace `goal-shoot' Sashika Samarasinghe will play in the 7th Asian Netball Championships to be played from June 19 to 28 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The championships is conducted by the Malaysian Netball Federation with the blessings of Asian Netball Association.

Sri Lanka netballers who were runners-up to Singapore at the last tournament held in Singapore in 2007

will make every attempt to win the title. Sri Lanka has achieved success in the Asian Netball Championships, emerging winners in 2002 and 2004 played in New Delhi, India and Colombo.

The groupings - Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, India and Maldives will play in group `A' while Singapore, Malaysia, Pakistan and Thailand will play in group `B'.

The matches will be played on a league basis and the winner and runner-up in the respective groups will play in a cris-cross basis to find the winner.

Sri Lanka team: Sashika Samarasinghe (Capt.), Iresha Koralagodage, Harshani Wijayalatha, Gayathri Lankatilleke, Tharjani Sivalingam, Mareesha Fernando, Chamila Jayawardena, Prisicla Koch, Akila Jayawardena, Hansi U. Bandara, Ishara Harshani, Darshika Abeywickrema.

Officials accompanying the squad: Ajantha M. Wijesekera (Chef-de-Mission) Trixie J. Nanayakkara (Manageress), Thilaka Jinadasa (Coach), Dr. Seevali Jayawickrema,

The team leaves on June 15. L. F.