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Tuesday, 9 July 2019 00:41 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Hishan Welmilla
Liverpool: The Asian netball queens Sri Lanka will face a tough challenge in the 2019 Netball World Cup to unfold in Liverpool, England from 12-21 July. It has confirmed all the teams and fixtures, across the four groups, for the first phase of the new format competition (Preliminaries Stage One).
Sri Lanka will have challenging clashes in Group A against top ranked Australia the reigning champions and will also face debutant Zimbabwe and Northern Island.
The Zimbabwe team are one to watch as first time qualifiers in next year’s tournament, ranking second to Uganda in the NWC2019 Regional Qualifier – Africa.
Sri Lanka qualified to the Netball World Cup after crowning the Asian Championship along with runner up Singapore.
Sri Lankans led by Chathurangi Jayasuriya will meet Zimbabwe as their first outing in the Preliminaries Stage One groups matches on 12 July on the opening day, followed by Northern Island (13 July) and the defending champions Australia (14 July).
The championships commenced in 1963. Sri Lanka has taken part in nine editions. They did not take part in 1967, 1971, 1975, 1979 and 2007. In 1963 Sri Lanka occupied the ninth place. In 1983 Sri Lanka were placed 14th. In 1987 Sri Lanka were 16th. In 1991 Sri Lanka were 15th and in 1995 19th. In 1999 Sri Lanka were 21st. In 2003 Sri Lanka was placed 18th. In 2011 Sri Lanka were 14th and in the last edition 2015 Sri Lanka were 16th.
Sri Lanka hopes
Although the qualifying to the second round is an uphill task Sri Lankan Coach Thilaka Junadasa is optimistic in bringing forward the Sri Lankan ranking up in the world ranking table.
“My main target is to bring Sri Lanka into the world top ten. With the experienced players who represent Sri Lanka at the moment I believe we could produce results,” says the Sri Lankan Coach.
“We are in tough group with Australia the defending Champions and Zimbabwe who are taking part in the first time along with Northern Island who rank 9 at the moment but we will make all efforts to give our best,” Thilaka further added.
INF World Rankings, Sri Lanka jumped to 19th spot from 25th, out of 41 countries after winning the Asian Championship under Thilaka Jinadasa’s guidance.
Spectacular opening ceremony
Netball World Cup’s opening ceremony is set to be a celebration of the world in one city – with its distinct Liverpool twist beamed to a global audience. Due to its reputation for staging major, crowd-pulling events, the Vitality Netball World Cup 2019 organisers agreed that Culture Liverpool, Liverpool City Council’s events experts, should produce and deliver the opening ceremony for the competition, which runs from 12-21 July.
Taking place in the M&S Bank Arena, located on the city’s world-famous waterfront, dance, music, projections and pyrotechnics will wow an arena audience of more than 6,000 people and an international TV audience of hundreds of thousands. An impressive display of colour, costume and choreography will welcome players, officials, fans and spectators to the city as part of the 45-minute display which takes place on Friday, 12 July, during the second session of the tournament.
The ceremony will open with inspirational female voices, signalling a unique parade led by Lady Liverpool, portrayed by local artist Jennifer John, dressed in a flamboyant purple dress featuring an illuminated Liverpool skyline. She will welcome the 16 competing nations by singing Across the Universe by The Beatles.
The closing ceremony will take place on Sunday, 21 July, which will focus around the medal ceremony and the official handover to the Netball World Cup 2023 hosts, South Africa.
The entire ceremony concept has been produced and directed by Culture Liverpool, which was recently named as the UK’s top event organiser, and 15th in the world overall, by the Eventex Awards.
New format
In February this year the International Netball Federation announced a new format for the World Cup, which will see teams compete in three stages: the Preliminaries Stage One from 12-14 July, the Preliminaries Stage Two from 15-18 July and the Play-offs and Placings matches from 19-21 July.
In the second stage of the competition, the top three teams from groups A and B will form group F, and the top three teams from groups C and D will form group G. The bottom four finishers from groups A-D will compete for 13th-16th places in group E.
Where teams in groups F and G have already played each other in the Preliminaries Stage One (i.e. A1 has already played A2 and A3), these results will carry through to the Preliminaries Stage Two.
The teams finishing first and second in groups F and G will go through to the semi-finals, with the top placed team in each group facing the second placed team in the other group. The winners of each semi-final will compete for gold in the final, with the losers playing for bronze.
The teams finishing third and fourth in groups F and G will compete for final positions fifth to eighth – third in one group plays fourth in the other – with the winners playing off for fifth place and the losers for seventh. The teams that finish fifth in groups F and G will play off for ninth and 10th places. The teams that finish last in groups F and G will play off for 11th and 12th places. The top two teams from group E will play off for 13th and 14th place and the bottom two teams will play off for 15th and 16th place.
Squads
Group A
Sri Lanka – Rank No. 19
Chathurangi Jayasooriya, Deepika Abeykoon, Dharshika Abeywickrema, Dulanga Ambeygoda, Dulangi Wannithileka, Elilenthinie Sethukavalar, Gayani Dissanayake, Gayanjali Amarawansa, Hasitha Mendis, Nauchalie Rajapakse, Tharjini Sivalingam, Thilini Wththegedera. Coached by Thilaka Jinadasa
Australia - Rank No. 1
Caitlin Bassett , April Brandley, Kelsey Browne, Courtney Bruce, Paige Hadley, Sarah Klau, Jamie-Lee Price, Caitlin Thwaites, Gretel Tippett, Liz Watson, Jo Weston, Steph Wood. Coached by Lisa Alexander
Northern Ireland – Rank No. 8
Caroline O’Hanlon, Ciara Crosbie, Emma Magee, Fionnuala Toner, Gemma Lawlor, Lisa Bowman, Lisa McCaffrey, Michelle Drayne, Michelle Magee, Neamh Woods, Niamh Cooper, Shaunagh Craig. Coached by Dan Ryan
Zimbabwe – Rank No. 14
Adelaide Muskwe, Claris Kwaramba, Felisitus Kwangwa, Joice Takaidza, Ndaizivei Madzikangava, Patricia Mauladi, Pauline Jani, Perpetua Siyachitema, Rudo Karume, Sharon Bwanali, Sharleen Makusha, Ursula Ndlovu. Coached by Lloyd Makumbe
Group B
New Zealand – Rank No. 4
Ameliaranne Ekenasio, Bailey Mes, Casey Kopua, Gina Crampton, Jane Watson, Karin Burger, Katrina Rore, Laura Langman, Maria Folau, Phoenix Karaka, Shannon Saunders, Te Paea Selby-Rickit. Coached by Noeline Taurua
Malawi – Rank No. 6
Sindi Simtowe, Alinafe Kamwala, Bridget Kumwenda, Caroline Mtukule, Grace Mwafulirwa, Jane Chimaliro, Joanna Kachilika, Joyce Mvula, Loreen Ngwira, Takondwa Lwazi, Thandie Galleta, Towera Vinkhumbo. Coached by Griffin Saenda
Barbados – Rank No. 12
Amanda Knight, Brianna Holder, Damisha Croney, Latonia Blackman, Rhe-Anne Niles-Mapp,Rieah Holder, Samantha Browne, Sheniqua Thomas, Shonica Wharton, Shonette AAzore-Bruce, Shonte Seale, Tonisha Rock-Yaw. Coached by Sanda Bruce-Small
Singapore – Rank 24
Aquilah Andin, Carmen Goh, Charmaine Soh, Joanna Toh, Kimberly Lim, Kwok Shuyi, Lee Pei Shan, Melody Teo, Sindhu Nair, Siti Nurshawallah, Tan Xin Yi, Toh Kai Wei. : Coached by Natalie Milicich
Group C
Jamaica – Rank No. 2
Adean Thomas, Jhaniele Fowler, Jodi-Ann Ward, Kadie-Ann Dehaney, Khadijah Williams, Nicole Dixon, Romelda Aiken, Shamera Sterline, Shanice Beckford, Shimona Nelson, Stacian Facey, Vangelee Williams. Coached by Marvette Anderson
South Africa – Rank 5
Bongiwe Pretty Msomi, Erin Burger, Ine-Marie Venter, Izette Griesel, Karla Pretorius, Khanyisa Chawane, Lenize Potgieter, Maryka Holtzhausen, Phumza Charmaine Maweni, Renske Stoltz, Shadine Van Der Merwe, Zanele Vuyiswa Vimbela. Coached by Norma Plummer
Trinidad and Tobago – Rank No. 10
Aniecia Baptiste, Candice Guerero, Daystar Swift, Jameela McCarthy, Kalifa McCollin, Onella Jack Hill, Samantha Wallace, Shantel Seemungal, Shaquanda Greene, Shernece Seemungal, Tahirah Hollingsworth, Rhonda John-Davis. Coached by Wesley Gomez
Fiji – Rank No. 13
Adi Vakaoca Bolakoro, Alisi Galo, Aliti Toribau, Asilka Sevutia, Ema Mualuvu, Episake Kahatoka, Kaitlyn Fisher, Kelera Nawai, Laisani Waqa, Lydia Panapasa, Matila Vocea, Unaisi Rauluni. Coached by Vicki Wilson
Group D
England – Rank No. 3
Chelsea Pitman, Eboni Usoro-Brown, Francesca Williams, Geva Mentor, Helen Housby, Jade Clarke, Jo Harten, Layla Guscoth, Natalie Haythornthwaite, Natalie Panagarry, Rachel Dunn, Serena Guthrie. Coached by Tracey Neville
Uganda – Rank No. 7
Betty Kizza, Jesca Achan, Joan Nampungu, Lilian Ajio, Mary Nuba Cholock, Muhaymina Namuwaya, Peace Prosovia, Racheal Nanyonga, Ruth Meeme, Stella Nanfuka, Stella Oyella, Sylvia Nanyonga. Coached by Vincent Kiwanuka
Scotland – Rank No. 9
Bethan Goodwin, Claire Maxwell, Ella Gibbons, Emma Barrie, Emily Nicoll, Hayley Mulheron, Kelly Boyle, Lauren Tait, Lynsey Gallagher, Niamh McCall, Nicola McCleery, Sarah MacPhail. Coached by Gail Parata
Samoa – Rank No. 15
Afi Lafaiali’l-Sapolu, Ann Helen Nu’uali’tia, Ariana Luamanu, Brooke Amber Williams, Eseta AAutagavia, Gene Solia-Gibb, Lenora Misa, Rachel Rasmussen, Sanita To’o, Soli Ropati, Tee Salanoa, Toa Tanimo. Coached by Frances Solia
