Saturday Dec 14, 2024
Saturday Dec 14, 2024
Friday, 19 July 2019 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Hishan Welmilla
Liverpool: After almost 10 days of stiff competition at the Netball World Cup 201 , team Sri Lanka will make their final appearance today (19) at the M&S Bank Arena when they meet Singapore at the 15th/16th ranking match .
Sri Lanka met Singapore previously at the Round Three pool match, and comfortably beat their opponents 88 goals to 50.
The winner will be ranked in the 15th position, while the loser will be 16th in the World Cup rankings.
Sri Lanka came to the World Cup with an expectation of climbing position in the world rankings from 18 to 10, as stated by coach Thilaka Jinadasa, but they were unable to make this dream a reality.
Sri Lanka lost their three Group A games, but apart from the loss at the hands of defending world champions Australia (99-24), the Lankan lasses were able to produce good netball against Zimbabwe (79-49) and Northern Island (50-67). The loss of momentum in both games resulted Sri Lanka being on the losing side.
Lankans met Singapore, Samoa, and Fiji in their Round Three matches, and they repeated their one victory in the event when they beat Singapore. In the next two games against Samoa (55-65) and Fiji (44-59), however, Lankans could have done better and raised their hopes of climbing the world ranking ladder.
Diamonds beat Silver Ferns in a thriller
Australia’s Netball World Cup defence remains on track, following a thrilling 50-49 win over arch-rivals New Zealand ahead of the semi-finals in Liverpool yesterday.
The Diamonds, who have won the past three World Cups, had the upper hand in the opening two quarters against the Silver Ferns to lead 28-22 at half time.
But the Silver Ferns cut the margin to four goals (40-36) by three-quarter time and the advantage was shaved to just one early in the final term, before scores were level with just over a minute to play.
The Diamonds responded via captain Caitlin Bassett, who slotted the decisive goal in the shadows of full-time, although New Zealand’s Maria Folau had a chance to level with a shot five seconds from the end but missed.
It is the Diamonds’ 12th win from their past 13 meetings with the Silver Ferns and they will play either England or South Africa in Saturday’s semi-finals.
A match-up against England will provide the Diamonds with an opportunity to avenge their defeat to the Roses in last year’s final at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
