Seetha Devi emerge champs in Singapore

Seetha Devi Sports Club, Kandy, brought glory to the home town of Kandy and motherland when they won for the second successive year The Cup Championship for women at the 19th Singapora six a side hockey tournament organised by the Singapora Cricket Club and played at Padang, Singapore.

Seetha Devi Sports Club won this championship last year and only to repeat their performance this year. In the year 2010 they became runner up and in 2011 they could not participate due to domestic commitments.

Seetha Devi Sports Club, Kandy, brought glory to Sri Lanka when they became six a side womens hockey champions at 19th hockey championship organised by the Singapore Cricket Club and worked off in Padang, Singapore. Seetha Devi Sports Club won this championship in 2012 and was runners up in 2010. The champion Seetha Devi Sports Club Standing from left: Madura Dharmaratne, Vajira Rajapakse, Harshani
Kumari, Jeewanthi Keerthiratne, M A M Ashroff (coach), Chathurika Wijesuriya, Maneesha Dissanayake, Pradeepa Nandasena, Buddhika Gunaratne. (Picture by S M Jiffrey Abdeen, Kandy Sports Correspondent)

Seetha Devi Sports Club stickers from the hill capital dominated the tournament to such an extent that they scored 29 goals in the tournament which is the highest aggregate. Sixty teams participated in this championship from countries like Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Germany, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Japan.

In their first match they made their intentions for lifting the championship title again clear by defeating Acquinian Sports Club 6-0. Centre forward Buddhika Gunaratne slammed 3 goals while Chathurika Wijesuriya (2), and Madura Dharmaratne (1).

In their second match they beat Tomadoes Hockey Club 4-0 and this time centre forward Chathurika Wijesuriya scored 3 which included the hat-trick and Buddhika Gunaratne scored the other goal.

The third match saw Seetha Devi SC putting up a fine display to defeat ISCI ladies 3-0. Chathurika Wijesuriya was once again in good form scoring two goals and Buddhika Gunaratne displaying consistency in scoring the third goal.

The fourth match saw Seetha Devi SC in roaring form trouncing SST Ladies by the big margin of 5-0. In form Buddhika Gunaratne accounted for three goals while the balance two were shared by Harshani Kumari and Chathurika Wijesuriya scoring one each.

With an unbeaten record and no goals scored against them, Seetha Devi Sports Club qualified to play in the Cup Championship quarter finals in which they beat RHIP Ladies 4-2 after a gruelling battle. Buddhika Gunaratne was once again the top scorer with two goals, supported by Chathurika Wijesuriya and Maneesha Dissanayake scoring one each.

The Cup semi finals saw Seetha Devi Sports Club being pitted against one of the strongest teams in the tournament SRC Ladies and after a scoreless first half, centre forward Chathrika Wijesuriya dribbled very skilfully and moved inside the ‘D’ to drive a snorter which beat the opponents custodian all ends up. It was one of the finest goals in the tournament according to observers.

In the Cup finals Seetha Devi Sports Club met Cairns Sapphires Sports Club from Australia took time to settle down and they did the Kangaroos could not stop them as centre forward Chathurika Wijesuriya and centre forward Buddhika Gunaratne made inroads into their territory to penetrate their defence to score a goal each and clinch the championship title for the second year in running.

Seetha Devi Sports Club was captained by Jeewanthi Keerthiratne and coached by M A M Ashroff who said that the team put out its best against very strong opponents. The team was a star studded and a virtual national side with all the players except once being national players.

Coach Ashroff thanked the Kandy Municipal Council Mayor Mahen Ratwatte, the Municipal Commissioner and Playgrounds Chief Kelum Shanthasiri for allowing them free use of the Getambe grounds for their practices for which they are ever so grateful.