Maliyadeva BV emerge schools Netball champs
View(s):Maliyadeva Balika Vidyalaya, Kurunegala with an unbeaten record emerged champions in the Inter Schools section of the Netball carnival organised and conducted by the Malay Cricket Club to commemorate the club’s 145th anniversary at the Padang, Colombo 2 recently.
It was visible from the start that Maliyadeva Balika Vidyalaya were heading towards the championship with the quality of Netball they exhibited. The team combined as a unit and the opponents fail to read their movements with two well positioned players in the goal scoring area.
Twelve schools teams were divided into two groups and the first two occupants of each group competed in the semi finals.Maliyadeva BV met Girls High School, Kandy in the first semi final while Holy Family Convent Kurunegala locked horns with Kollonnawa Balika MV in the Group B semi final.
The first semi final match was a closely contested one with Girls High School made the champion team to sweat for their victory. The hill capital girls matched the movements of the Rock Capital girls’ movements and the game swung from side to side with both teams attempting to score at every opportunity available. Maliyadeva BV reach the post after a tough battle to register a closely contested 15-12 win.
The other semi finalists from the Rock Capital Holy Family Convent had an easy sail to the finals with a17-4 win over Kollonnawa Balika Vidyalaya. The lasses from Kollonnawa found the Convent lasses too hot to handle as their defence was rock solid and finding the basket at every lapse of the Colombo girls.
The finals turned out to be a battle of ‘Athugalpura’ which turned out be a game worth witnessing. Both teams playing a fast and well combined game with feeding the goal shooters with a lot of good moves. The goal shooters were on the spot from both sides and the final result bears evidence how the game would have gone.
In this closely contested finals at the end Maliyadeva BV emerged winners with a thin margin of one goal 13-12 to carry away the coveted trophy along with a handsome cash award.
The following players were rewarded for their fine performances:
Best Shooter: Chandani Gayathika (Maliyadeva Balika)
Best Defence: Janali Balasuriya (Maliyadeva Balika)
Best Center Player: Tharushi Lakmini (Holy Family Convent, Kurunegala)
– Lakshman Ranasinghe; Pix by Ranjith Perera
