Assalamualaikum WBT and Gooday Everyone.


One of the major calendar events of Netball in Malaysia is IPTA/IPTS Netball Championship. This year, it was held in the Sport Centre of the University of Malaya from the 30^th-1^st February which attracted more than 34 teams from various universities and colleges nationwide.

Based on the rankings from the previous year, the contingent from the Technical University of Malaysia, (UTM) was the favourite, especially with the inclusion of Aruna, the current national GS, returning to the side, to bolster what was already an extremely dangerous line-up that included several current national squad members; Zai, Atikah and Dalimah.

They were eagerly awaited by the current second best team in Malaysia, the University of Malaya, also laden with some national players including Husna, Yati, Shaffar and Tang Wei Choo. These two great teams went into the grand final, unbeaten during the round robin stages of the tournament, looking very polished and slickest, combining their well prepared trademark gutsy defense with clinical execution on attacks.

The UTM group booked its grand final ticket after beating the University Technology of Mara (UiTM) in the first semifinal, whereas, in the second leg of the semifinal the UM whitewashed the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM)

The line-up for UTM for the grand final match: Starting at GS, the captain Aruna who was well supported by the GA, Zai. WA: Atikah@Eker C: Dalimah, WD: Mariani, GD: Sarafina and GK: Salimah. On the other side of the court, the UM was manned by Husna at GS, assisted by Aishah at GA. The midcourt was represented by the regular national squad members in the faces of Yati at WA and Shaffar at C. The circle defenders were Tang Wei Coo and Wani respectively at GD and GK. The utility defender was Zubilah at WD. The game was played in 2 quarters of 20 mins each with a break of 5 mins in between. The grand final match was umpired by Cik Mazlah and Dr Suhaimi.

Both teams started well in the first quarter, each trying to out do another with their fast and furious type of netball, trying very hard to dictate the game early on. This was more so for the UM side who had been wearing the second best team tag for years. This year, they wanted to prove otherwise. In fact, nothing separated these two great teams in terms of skill wise, as both went goal for goal during the first few minutes of the games. After what looked like a promising start, the UM attack capitulated in the middle of the first quarter.

The UM lacked their usual control and fluency on attack, surprisingly unseen during their early preliminary games. The feed into the shooting circle looked hesitant, and the transition from defense onto attack muddled. In spite of some great come back performances in between, they were short-lived as their performance was marred by a couple of huge lapses late in the first quarter and early in the second, before their game completely fell apart in the final period.

The mental strength and greater sense of determination proved to be the upper hand in any game or sport as clearly shown by the UTM side as they slowly nudged their team ahead with greater precision of ball handling and delivery of the ball into the goal circle.

The UTM circle defenders Salimah and Safarina proved an intimidating combination, pressuring Husna and Aishah into errors which were coolly converted by Aruna and Zai at the other end, much to the delight of the spectators in the sport complex particularly with their well executed long shots.

The second half was more of the same - UTM was snappier on attack, well and truly marshaled by the player of the match, Dalimah using the ball speed well and ramping up the midcourt defensive pressure forcing UM into a series of errors with a strong full-court defense to secure their biggest win of 47-32.

Best Player of the Match

Dalimah: UTM

Many thanks to those who came to watch the games. I hope all of us would have learnt something from these games.

Additional information:

Latest Netball rankings:

IFNA WORLD RANKINGS

(As of January 21, 2011)

New Zealand - 174
2. Australia - 173
3. England - 150
4. Jamaica - 140
5. Fiji - 129
6. South Africa - 126
7. Malawi - 124
8. Trinidad and Tobago - 104
9. Samoa - 96
10. Barbados – 94

Wassalam

Ahmad Suhaimi bin Amir

COBRA Advisor/Resident Umpire