Lankan spikers win ACZ c'ship opener

Bernard Perera

VOLLEYBALL: Sri Lankan spikers won the opening games of the Asian Central Zone Volleyball Championship when they overcame lesser known Maldives three sets to nil at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium yesterday.

The championship was declared open by the Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake at a simple ceremony held prior to the opening game. The ceremony was attended by Minister of Sports, Jeewan Kumaratunge, President Volleyball Federation Dilan Perera and Ambassadors of participating countries.

Maldives opened scoring first but Lankans led K.M.K. Sunil went on to collect six points before the technical time out. At this stage it was E.L.C. Ekanayake and Kalika Wasanthapriya stood out well for the local team. Maldivians tried to reduce the lead but failed to do so as the Lankans defence guarded well. The first set ended in 20 minutes in favour of the home team at 25 - 11.

The second set took a different time with Maldivians going ahead in the early stage to lead at 6-1. Lankans fought back gallantly to level at 7 all. Local spikers kept moving collecting their points regularly and went ahead, but the visitors too kept the pressure on until the second technical time out 16-14.

There onwards Lankans never allowed the opponents to came to equal terms and took the set 25-20 to lead 2-0. This set lasted for 22 minutes.

The third set too got off to a start with the visitors taking the upper hand to lead 4 points to one. Lankans who started slowly in this set got their act together to level at 7 all. With four successive point Lankans got ahead and moved on smoothly to take the set at 25-14 and the game three sets to nil.

Maldivian head coach Aruna Shantha from Sri Lanka said the "Maldivian side is packed with junior players with only one senior. The way they played today satisfying. They had only two and a half months training. We expect to improve with this side in the future. The most needed today for the players is more international exposure said the coach.

Pakistan in thrilling win

Championship favourites Pakistan pulled off a thrilling victory over their arch rivals India three sets to two in the second game of the tournament.

Pakistan ranked number four in the Asian region won the first set at 25-19. India fought back to take the next set 25-21. The third set became a thriller with both sides battling it all the way. The set ended in 23 minutes in favour of India 25-22 and went onto lead 2-1.

Never say die Pakistanis turned the table once again pulling off the fourth also in a thrilling encounter 25-22 to level at 2 all.

Confident Pakistanis got the final set in their favour in the early stage leading 5-1. India came on strongly but could not get closer to Pakistanis. Pakistan won the set 15-9 and the match.Today Maldives take on Kazakhstan at 2 p.m. while Sri Lanka host India at 4 p.m. at the same venue.