Sixty four VB players in SAF Games pool

BY LESLIE Fernando

SIXTY-FOUR volleyballers both men and women have been picked by the Volleyball Federation of Sri Lanka in preparation for the South Asian Games to be staged in Colombo in April, 2006.

The significant feature is that of the 64 volleyballer selected 35 players are from Defence Services (28) and Police (7). The balance 29 players are from clubs.

Susil Ranasinghe, the Secretary Volleyball Federation of Sri Lanka said that 32 men and 32 women players were picked from their performances of last year. In fact most of the players picked have either represented Sri Lanka at junior or senior level at international tournaments.

Both pools will be pruned down to 15 players each after the selectors monitor the progress of the players. There will be several practice matches played before the teams are finalised.

Sarath Silva will be in charge of the men's pool while C. Rathnamudali will coach the women's poolists.

Men's pool - Suranga Madawa, Suranga Rajapakse, Senaka Abeyratne, K. Sunil, A. Thushara, Mohan Sanjeewa, Anjana Kumara, Suneth Kokila, Ranga Fernando, M. Y. Kodagoda, L. C. Ekanayake (all of Sri Lanka Army), Kalika Wasanthapriya, Prageeth Dissanayake, Chandima Dissanayake (Sri Lanka Ports Authority), Udaya Rukmal, Dimuthu Upasantha, Chanaka Madushantha (Siyanetharu SC), Dumindu Eranga, Ranjeewa Gunaratne, Kalinga Gayan, S. Thambugala (Police), Pradeep Gunasekera, U. I. Udayashantha, Maurice Chaminda, Malinda Silva (Sri Lanka Navy), Saman Chandranath, Tharaka Abeykoon, Melan Jayawardena, Prabath Kumara, Santha Ratnayake, Susira Mangala, Sampath Abeysinghe (Sri Lanka Air Force).

Women's pool - Mangalika Wasanthi Kumari, Sagari Gunasinghe, W. Sujeewa, Chandani Akarawita, Sugandika Nayomi, Nadeeka Athukorale, Shammi Surekha, Nayani Wathsala, Iresha Udayanganee, Chamila Hemanthi, Visakha Jayalath, Viraji Chamirika, Visakha Lalanthi, Himali Pushpakumari, Anupama Jayaratne, Chandima Damayanthi, Geethika Gunawardena, B. M. I. S. Balasuriya, Dinesha Prasadani, M. K. Umanthi (Police), A. M. S. Ajantha, Iresha Suranganee, Yamuna Priyadarshanee, Tharanga Sewvanthi (Sri Lanka Air Force), Sonali Anuskha Wardika Udeni, Ruchira Nandakanti (Sri Lanka Navy), Husani Thamarika, Isanka Vijalath (Henagama MMV), Renuka Pushpamali, Anusha Deepani, Thakshila Niranjalee (Sri Lanka Ports Authority).