Netball: Seylan Bank retain SLsports.com trophy

Seylan Bank retained the most prestigious Sri Lanka Sports.com Netball Challenge trophy after beating arch rivals Hatton National Bank in a thrilling encounter at the Cup Championship of the Sri Lankasports.com Inter Company Netball Challenge.
 
It was another chance for HNB to take a sweet revenge and take the ownership of the prestigious Cup Championship as they were beaten by Seylan Bank by one goal margin when they met last time in the finals of the Netball Challenge. 

But Seylan Bankers had other ideas and this time they took away the Cup championship with a three (3) goal margin to read the score board 44-41 at the long whistle. 

Once again Seylan defended their mixed at the netball Challenge title as well by beating Citizen Development Business Financial PLC at the mixed finals by 23 goals to 9. 

But Citizen Development Business Financial PLC emerged winners in the Plate Championship of the all female event when they beat Commercial Credit by goals 18 goals to12 in the Plate Championship Finals.
 
It was another tough battle in the Bowl Championships finals and MAS Shadeline (Mahiyanganaya) lasses who participated for the first time in the Netball Championship managed to take the Bowl Championship home by beating David Peiris Motor Company by 20-18 after a tense battle. 

The Secretary to the Ministry of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media Nimal Bopage was the Chief Guest of the event which was concluded for the Tenth Consecutive year. 

Thirteen teams representing prestigious institutions in Sri Lanka vied for the honours at the Sri Lankasports.com Netball Challenge which concluded on January 21 at the Indoor Stadium at St. Joseph’s College in Colombo. 

Eight teams competed in Female Category and five teams took part in the Mixed Division category. 

The event held in two categories, female and mixed. 

Hatton National Bank, Seylan Bank, HSBC, Citizen Development Business Financial PLC, Commercial Credit, David Peiris Motor Company, MAS Fabrics Matrix, MAS Active Shade line, battled for the honors in the Female category while, Seylan Bank, Citizen Development Business Financial PLC, Commercial Credit, David Peiris Motor Company, Standard Charted Bank played for honours in the mixed category. 

Female category of the Inter-company Netball Championship played for Cup, Plate and Bowl Championships and mixed category were played only for Cup championship.