Seylan Bank wins netball c'ships

Seylan Bank prevented Hatton National Bank to retain the Sri Lankasports.com Netball Challenge for the second consecutive year when they beat the defending Champions by 39 points to 26 in the final which was contested on grand scale to become the Cup Championship of the Sri Lankasports.com Netball Challenge -Inter company Netball Championship which concluded last Sundy at the National Youth Center Indoor Stadium, Maharagama on Sunday.
 

Two days of top class netball was displayed in a carnival atmosphere with lot of excitement. All teams competed showed their talents, skills and class to the packed crowd who gathered to witness the grand tournament. The tournament was organised by Sports Line Marketing (pvt) Limited with its website Sri Lankasports.com website and was co sponsored by Finance and Guarantee Group.

Commercial Bank won the Plate Championship beating Nations Trust Bank 13 goals to Nill. Janashakthi Insurance took away the Bowl Championship after beating New comers Soft Logic in the bowl final by 4 goals to 3 in the finals. All players received a certificate of participation.

On the way to Cup finals HNB beat Ceylinco Group by 17 goals to 9, while Seylan Bank beat Sri Lanka Insurance 28 goals to 5. In the Plate semifinals Nations Trust Bank beat AMW 18 goals to 5 and Commercial Bank beat Mobitel 15 goals to 4. Soft Logic beat Lanka Bell by 5 goals to 1 and Janashakthi beat Aviva Global 10 goals to in nil the bowl semifinals.

"Sri Lanka Sports Netball Challenge " -Inter Company Netball Championship played once again on the innovative format introduced by the SportsLine Marketing (Pvt) Limited for its inaugural tournament in 2006 and was never experienced in Sri Lanka as far as the sport of netball is concern. This will also go in to history as Sri Lanka's first ever inter company netball tournament completely conducted in an indoor stadium with a carnival atmosphere.

Tw3enty four teams representing leading companies battled in six groups for the supremacy in Cup, Plate and Bowl Championships and this new format gave more opportunities for experienced and up and coming teams to show their talents and compete in an equal manner.

"With the participation of over 24 teams for the event it looks that Sri Lanka Sports Netball Challenge " -Inter Company Netball Championship is an event all ledaing companies in Sri Lanka looking for. Therefore the organisers have e decided to make this an annual event" said Hishan Welmilla - Editor in Chief of www.srilankasports.com at the award presentation. The Finance and Guarantee Group has already readiness to co-sponsor the event for another three years.

This tournament received the Blessings of the Netball Federation of Sri Lanka and the Mercantile Netball Association.

Deputy Chairman of F & G Group Mervyn Jayasinghe was the chief Guest and The President of the Netball Federation of Sri Lanka Mrs Shereen Kumaratunga also graced the occation as the Guest of Honor .