Netball World Cup preparations nearing home stretch

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With the Netball World Championships just a couple of months away, the Sri Lanka Netball Federation seems to have finally begun to get their act together in preparing for the uphill task they face in Sydney, Australia, this August.

Almost a month after a 30 member squad for the World Championships was selected; the SLNF has appointed a Head Coach and an Assistant Coach for the national team. Deepti Alwis took over as head coach and is joined by Tamara Liyanage as assistant coach. The team’s 1st official practice with the newly appointed coaching staff was held on the 21st of May at the sports ministry.

Alwis has represented Sri Lanka as a player between 1985 and 1996 and captained the team in 1995 and 1996. She was selected by a panel of five, headed by recently appointed SLNF President Yasa Ramachandra. The other members in the panel were: Yasmin Dharmaratne, Olivia Gamage, Malini Edirisooriya and Trixie Nanayakkara. She was appointed ahead of fellow applicant I.R. Tissera. Deepti Alwis is no stranger to the role of head coach as she bore the same title as recently as last year. It is reported that four of the five panellists endorsed her appointment as coach stating that she is the most suited candidate for the task ahead. Tamara Liyanage, meanwhile, was uncontested for the position of Assistant Coach.

It is indeed a timely appointment as the trials for the selection of the final 12 member squad, that will travel to Australia in August, is set to take place on the 26th and 27th of this month. This gives the players just under a week to impress the coach and really push for their spots on the team.

Alwis has stated that the main goal of the team would be to topple our Asian counterparts Singapore who are in the same group as Sri Lanka. This however will be no easy task as the team from Singapore is ranked 17th in the world, while Sri Lanka languishes at 24th. While admitting that the lack of experience within the squad is a loss, her plan is to try and develop team work, strategy and skills so that the players are adaptable enough to be able to play at any position.

Over the past week, the Sri Lankan Netball community has been rife with rumours of a boycott to be staged by the senior members of the World cup squad, who were reportedly very unhappy with the progress and handling of the sport by the SLNF. Addressing this issue, the President of the SLNF, Yasa Ramachandra, speaking exclusively to ThePapare.com stated:

“There are no senior players in the squad, they have not attended the trials. When I was appointed, I was only given the 30 member squad, which does not include any so called senior players.” She went on to state that it is difficult to judge the skill levels of the players as they have only recently started training under the head coach.

Selections for the final 12 member squad for the Netball World Cup were held yesterday at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo. The girls were put through their paces by the newly appointed coach Deepti Alwis and her assistant coach Tamara Liyanage.

Coach Deepti  Alwis confirmed that the selectors had been able to narrow down the current 20 member squad to the final 15 member squad (12 players plus 3 standby players). The list of names has been forwarded to the sports minister by the SLNF officials today, but the official announcement of the squad will only be made once the decision of the selectors has been ratified by the sports minister himself. The announcement is expected to be made within the next couple of days.

It is of utmost importance that the squad is finalized soon, as Sri Lanka is already behind the eight ball in terms of preparation. Having appointed a head coach just last week, progress of the squad has been hindered by various issues pertaining mostly to administration.

Speaking to ThePapare, Coach Deepti Alwis had this to say about the squad she was given “There are a few players who were in the pool when I coached last year, but there are also a lot of new players. This is because some experienced players have not participated in the trials. It is a loss not having the tallest player in Netball, but we are trying to move forward with the resources we have.”

 

The current 20 member squad is as follows:

1. Hasitha Lakmali Mendis

2. Thiwanka Perera

3. Deepika Dharshani Abeykoon

4. P. A. Viraji Chamarika

5. Thisala Tharani Algama

6. P. Ashvini

7. Thilini Wattegedara

8. U. G. Sureka Kumari

9. C. S. W. Jayasooriya

10. J. K. K. Jayaweera

11. Dharshika Lakmali Abeywickrema

12.  Dilshani Cabraal

13. Venija Paramalingam

14. Gayani Dissanayake

15. L. Dulanga Dananji

16. H. M. Dushani Bandara

17. H. K. G. G. Amarawansha

18. K. B. K. S. Alwis

19. Niroshini Paiwa

20. Shamila Rathnayake