Sri Lanka a rousing 72-23 win over host India

Chris Dhambarage reporting from India

NETBALL: Sri Lanka launched their campaign for the Asian netball title with a smashing 72 points to 23 points victory over hosts India in their opening fixture worked off at the Sri Kanteerwa indoor stadium in Bangalore yesterday.

The Sri Lanka team put up a tremendous all round performance and also gave a clear indication that they are one of the strong favourites to lift the title.

The team completely put the home side out of the contest even before half time as they built up a commanding 31-12 lead at the end of the second quarter.

Their success was even more significant considering the fact that Sri Lanka decided to include some of their substitutes during the last two quarters.

The replacements stood equally well to the task as they kept the score moving with some fantastic shooting backed up by their solid defence. In fact the last quarter turned out to be the most productive for Sri Lanka as they collected a total of 28 points against their opponents four points.

The early damage of course was done by goal shoot Gishanthi Jayakody who was in tremendous form along with goal attack and skipper Shereen Nugera. The pair virtually destroyed the Indians while piling up the points quite regularly.

The Lankans having already sealed the game decided to field almost a second string team during the latter stages and they too lived up to expectations with fourteen year old Semini Alwis and Rushika Wijendra being outstanding. In addition vice captain Iresha Koralagodage, Priseilla Koch, W. A. Sujani and Akila Jayawardena all played well within themselves to fashion a rousing victory at the end.

In the second match of the day Thailand defeated Maldives by 37 points 16 points in a low scoring encounter.

(Bangalore, India Tuesday).