Sri Lanka National Netball Team successful tour of Malawi which included six matches against their National and club teams ended on 5th August.
Sri Lanka Netball touring Malawi
Sri Lanka Netball Team are touring Malawi on a 11-day tour before the 11th Asian Netball Championship …
The 11-day tour started off on 26th July and ended on 5th August where Sri Lanka played twice against the Malawi U20 team, two against club teams and two against the Malawi National Team – Malawi Queens.
Sri Lanka are preparing for the 11th Asian Netball Championship 2018 which will be held from 1st-9th of September in Singapore.
Sri Lanka v Malawi U20 (1st Game)
In their first match of the tournament Sri Lanka drew with the Malawi U20 side 56-56.
Sri Lanka led 17-14 at the end of the 1st quarter and after the teams traded equal points in the 2nd quarter (11-11) the scores read 28-25 at half time in favour of the visitors.
The 3rd quarter too was a tight affair but the Lankans managed to extend the lead to four points, 45-41 (17-16). In the final quarter Malawi U20’s managed to take control and draw the game 56-56 (11-15).
Sri Lanka v Kukoma Diamonds (2nd Game)
Sri Lanka next played Kukoma Diamonds, the no.1 club team in Malawi, who had five national pool players on court. Sri Lanka lost the match 53-39.
It was 10-12 at the end of the 1st quarter and by half time Sri Lanka were down 21-25 (11-13). The 3rd quarter was a low scoring quarter, 7-9. However, Kukoma Diamonds sprung into life in the 4th quarter and scored 19 points while Sri Lanka could only manage 11.
Sri Lanka v Malawi U20 (3rd Game)
Sri Lanka faced off against Malawi U20 for the 2nd time and on this occasion lost by three points. The scores were 67-64.
Malawi U20’s led 16-17 after the 1st quarter. The 2nd quarter too had the Malawi U20’s scoring 17 and the islanders only managed 14 as the half time scores read 30-34.
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In the 3rd quarter as well both sides almost matched each other point for point (16-17). Sri Lanka finished off the game strongly outscoring the hosts 18-16 but fell 4-points short of the win.
Sri Lanka v Blue Eagles (4th Game)
Malawi’s 3rd best club, Blue Eagles was Sri Lanka’s next opponent. In that match Sri Lanka were defeated 55-66.
Sri Lanka got off to a rollicking start out scoring the opponents by 12-points (20-8). However, the Blue Eagles quickly regrouped to respond 13-20 in the 2nd quarter to go into half time at 33-28.
They continued that momentum in the 3rd scoring 21 and take a 45-49 lead, while Sri Lanka managed only 12. There was no comeback from Sri Lanka in the 4th quarter as the quarter finished 10-17 in favour of the Blue Eagles.
Sri Lanka v Malawi (5th Game)
Malawi Queens survived an early scare to beat Sri Lanka 71-51. Sri Lanka led 17-16 in the 1st quarter with the ever impressive Tharjini Sivalingam shooting perfectly. At half time it was 32-32 with the Queens edging out the Lankans 15-16 in the 2nd quarter.
Malawi Queens swept away Sri Lanka in the 3rd quarter outscoring them 8-20 (40-52) with the help of their experienced players playing professionally in England. Malawi Queens dominated the center court with their short passing to win the 4th quarter 11-19.
Sri Lanka v Malawi (6th Game)
In their final game of the tour and the 2nd against the Queens, Sri Lanka lost 48-76. Malawi won the 1st quarter 14-21 and at half time the scores read 20-38 (8-17) in favour of the hosts.
The 3rd and 4th quarter scores were 15-19 and 11-19 as the Queens won 48-76.
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It must be noted that Sri Lanka who ranked 26th in the world were playing against a country who are ranked 6th with a lot more experience in the international stage. Malawi Queens were placed 7th in the recently concluded Commonwealth Games – Gold Coast 2018.
The last time Sri Lanka met Malawi was in the 2015 Netball World Cup where the Queens decimated Sri Lanka 18-101 in the group stage. Comments coming from the Malawians too look positive and they say that Sri Lanka,
“look a much-improved side. They will take home a lot of positive aspects from the test matches.”
However, Sri Lanka will need to work on their concentration particularly on passing accuracy, which was lacking even in the Invitational International Netball Tournament held in Sri Lanka in May.
Speaking exclusively with ThePapare.com Head Coach of the Sri Lanka Team Thilaka Jinadasa added;
“Girls are really doing well here and hopefully they will repeat the same during Asian. It’s really important to play this aggressive series. This series is really good exposure for Sri Lanka players to learn to play aggressively.”
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