Singapore netball team wary of new-look Sri Lanka in World Cup opener
Singapore's perennial rivals feature a number of new faces and are confident
NETBALL WORLD CUP, POOL C
SINGAPORE v SRI LANKA
(Today, 9.50am Singapore time)
The Singapore team face a tricky situation in their opening game of the Netball World Cup today.
Opponents, Sri Lanka are regular opponents, but the roster of their continental rivals for this tournament is much changed.
The Singapore netball team beat the Sri Lankans in both the 2012 and 2014 Asian Championship final, and over the years, one of the biggest individual threats of the Republic's biggest rivals has been 2.06m-tall goal shooter Tharjini Sivalingam.
At No. 22 in the world, the South Asian nation are the lowest-ranked in Pool C, behind South Africa (5th), Malawi (6th) and Singapore (15th).
But the Singaporeans are wary because when they trot out for today's clash, a number of the players on the opposite side of the Netball Central Arena will be new faces.
Speaking to The New Paper here yesterday, Singapore captain Micky Lin said: "There's a lot of changes in their team since the 2014 Asian Championships, Tharjini is not in this team but they have another shooter who is much more agile, although she is not as tall.
"We saw her two years ago, when she came on as a substitute for Tharjini, and she's quite tricky but it's been some time since then."
NEW BLOOD
Sri Lanka manager Olivia Gamage said the team comprise just four players who played in last year's Asian Championship in Singapore, but she is confident they can avenge recent losses to the Republic.
"Coach Deepthi Alwis has taken in some new blood and blended them with some of the seniors; our training has changed, along with our playing style," Gamage said.
"We've been training very hard and we are confident of doing well against Singapore.
"The result tomorrow will be a good indication of where we will be for the next Asian Championship," added Gamage, whose team were given a day-off yesterday.
Since landing in Sydney on Monday morning, Ruth Aitken's Singapore team have played training matches against Fiji and Uganda, and had a brief training session yesterday before having the afternoon off to rest and relax before the opening game.
Said the Kiwi coach: "We had a chance to get everyone out on the court against Fiji and Uganda; we did quite well against Fiji, and not so much against Uganda, but those two matches gave us a chance to play against teams of different styles.
"It gives us some things to look at before we start the tournament and play in three consecutive matches."
Aitken insisted Singapore were back to "square one" against Sri Lanka because of their personnel changes, and did not rule out a nervy start by her charges today.
She said: "The Sri Lankans are great athletes and highly mobile and it will be a tougher challenge this time.
"For us, it's about playing hard end to end, getting the basics right and playing the style that suits us best - flat, with a lot of hard work, speed, acceleration and short and sharp passing.
"There will be nerves in an opening match, but we don't want to be beaten in this best-of-Asia match."
Get to know our World Cup squad
TNP PHOTOS: CHOO CHWEE HUA
- NAME: Micky Lin Qingyi
- AGE: 30
- HEIGHT: 1.73m
- POSITIONS: Goal Defence, Goal Keeper
- PREVIOUS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: 2007, 2011
- CAPS: 89
- SPORTING HERO: Ex-national captain Jean Ng. I remember reading about her in a Netball Singapore newsletter when I was younger and was very inspired.
- FUN FACT: I ran away from school when I was in Primary 1 because I didn't do my Chinese homework.
- NAME: Chen Huifen
- AGE: 30
- HEIGHT: 1.69m
- POSITIONS: Goal Attack, Goal Shooter
- PREVIOUS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: 2007, 2011
- CAPS: 101
- SPORTING HERO: Mr C Kunalan. He is an inspiring athlete who passes on his love for sports to teachers and students.
- FUN FACT: I enjoy playing volleyball.
- NAME: Nurul Baizura
- AGE: 25
- HEIGHT: 1.72m
- POSITIONS: Centre, Wing Defence
- PREVIOUS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: 2011
- CAPS: 58
- SPORTING HERO: Michael Jordan. He is such a hardworking player with great flair.
- FUN FACT: I have a family of teddy bears.
- NAME: Premila Hirubalan
- AGE: 32
- HEIGHT: 1.70m
- POSITIONS: Goal Keeper, Goal Defence
- PREVIOUS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1999, 2007, 2011
- CAPS: 104
- SPORTING HERO: I used to want to be like Michael Jordan, because he seemed like he could fly.
- FUN FACT: I've always wanted to fly, like Superman.
- NAME: Charmaine Soh
- AGE: 25
- HEIGHT: 1.77m
- POSITIONS: Goal Shooter, Goal Attack
- PREVIOUS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: 2011
- CAPS: 44
- SPORTING HERO: Stephen Curry, I think he is the best shooter of all time. Stephen is very steady and composed, never a letdown.
- FUN FACT: I have a monstrous appetite. I can eat three main courses at a go and have dessert after.
- NAME: Shelby Koh
- AGE: 20
- HEIGHT: 1.77m
- POSITIONS: Wing Attack, Centre
- PREVIOUS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: Nil
- CAPS: 32
- SPORTING HERO: Nat Fyfe, professional Aussie Rules footballer
- FUN FACT: I have four sisters, a motorbike licence and I'm learning Spanish.
- NAME: Kimberly Lim
- AGE: 20
- HEIGHT: 1.62m
- POSITIONS: Wing Attack, Centre
- PREVIOUS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: Nil
- CAPS: 19
- SPORTING HERO: Australia netball star Kimberlee Green. Her explosiveness and control on court and the smile that's always on her face.
- FUN FACT: I've just started to pick up photography. It's something new to challenge myself with.
- NAME: Chen Lili
- AGE: 25
- HEIGHT: 1.96m
- POSITIONS: Goal Keeper, Goal Shooter
- PREVIOUS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: Nil
- CAPS: 40
- SPORTING HERO: Michael Jordan. He's the god of basketball.
- FUN FACT: Each of my ears look different.
- NAME: Yu Mei Ling
- AGE: 24
- HEIGHT: 1.79m
- POSITIONS: Goal Shooter
- PREVIOUS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: Nil
- CAPS: 23
- SPORTING HERO: Jean Ng. She has an amazing ability to juggle national commitments and work.
- FUN FACT: I am half-Thai.
- NAME: Olivia Flanagan
- AGE: 33
- HEIGHT: 1.75m
- POSITIONS: Goal Defence, Goal Keeper
- PREVIOUS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: Nil
- CAPS: 9
- SPORTING HERO: Serena Williams, because she is so strong mentally and physically.
- FUN FACT: I'm a geography geek; I love looking at maps!
- NAME: Pamelia Liew
- AGE: 23
- HEIGHT: 1.72m
- POSITIONS: Goal Attack, Goal Shooter, Wing Attack
- PREVIOUS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: Nil
- CAPS: 8
- SPORTING HERO: My brother. He is a basketball player who always pushes himself to his limit in training. He always encourages me not to give up and even dishes out advice.
- FUN FACT: I enjoy the accomplishment of completing a marathon.
- NAME: Ang Shi Qi
- AGE: 27
- HEIGHT: 1.70m
- POSITIONS: Wing Defence, Centre
- PREVIOUS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: Nil
- CAPS: 21
- SPORTING HERO: Michael Jordan. He is one of the best athletes in history and I grew up watching him on TV.
- FUN FACT: I have a history of sleepwalking.
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