Netball beats inclement weather

The 16th All Island Schools Milo Netball Championship which was hampered by rain when it was held in Ratnapura two weeks ago and postponed saw almost the same fate befalling it this time too when it was continued at the Royal College grounds in Reid Avenue yesterday.

Heavy showers the whole day prevented the tournament being conducted smoothly but the organizers managed to complete the third round games and succeeded in selecting the teams that will advance to the quarter finals which is scheduled to get underway today at 8.00 a.m.

The secretary of the Sri Lanka Schools Netball Association (SLSNA) Shiromi Kuruppu said “if there is rain even today they have made arrangements to shift the tournament to Sirimavo Bandaranayake BV situated in Colombo for which four courts are on standby. If there is no rain we intend to conduct the tournament at Reid Avenue”.

Meanwhile the eight teams to advance in all the four categories Under 12, 14, 16 and 18 have been finalised. Defending champs of the four groups apart from the Under 16 category Museasus Colombo (Under 12), Holy Family Convent Kurunegala (Under 14), and Kalutara BV (Under 18) are in line to retain the title.

Kalutara BV is the only school that has found a place in all the age groups while two schools from Kurunegala Holy Family Convent and Maliyadeva BV along with Museasus Colombo have three teams advancing to the quarter finals.

The closing ceremony is scheduled to be held at 3.00 p.m. with the chief guest being Minister of Sports Gamini Lokuge with Sameera Fonseka Senior Brand Manager, Nestle Lanka Ltd and L.K. Jayaweera, Director of Sports as the guest of honours.

The teams to advance to the quarter finals:

Under 12 – Kalutara BV, Malwattawala MMV Wellawaya, Ananda Sastralaya Matugama, Holy Family Convent Kurunegala, Royal College Kurunegala, Ananda BV Hingurakgoda, Maliyadeva BV Kurunegala, Museaus Colombo.

Under 14 – Kalutara BV, Ananda BV Hingurakgoda, Visakha Colombo, Maliyadeva BV Kurunegala, Museaus Colombo, Girl’s High School Kandy, Newstead College Negombo, Holy Family Convent Kurunegala.

Under 16 – Kalutara BV, Sacred Heart Convent Galle, Swarnamali BV Kandy, Museaus Colombo, Visakha Colombo, Sirimavo Bandaranayake BV Colombo, Pannala National School.

Under 18 – Kalutara BV, Sacred Heart Convent Galle, Maliyadeva BV Kurunegala, Sirimavo Bandaranayake BV Colombo, Girl’s High School Kandy, Pannala National School, Newstead College Negombo.