The Brunei Darussalam netball national team endured a second successive defeat in the 13th Asian Netball Championship (ANC) following a 67-40 loss to Hong Kong at the Koramangala Indoor Stadium in Bangalore, India yesterday.
The national netball team, widely known as the Royal Bees, were down 20-8 in the first quarter but fared better in the second.
Despite their opponents being comfortably in front, the Royal Bees added three more goals to their scoreline and conceded three goals lesser before the start of the third quarter.
The Royal Bees have began the campaign with a 68-45 loss to Thailand in Group ‘B’, putting their hopes for a top-six finish in serious jeopardy.
Brunei, currently coached by the returning Thilaka Jinadasa following her second stint with the national team, will be hoping to earn their first victory in the group against Chinese Taipei today.
Singapore, Iraq and Bahrain are also in Brunei’s group.
Meanwhile, the national netball team are currently ranked 42nd in the world according to the latest rankings released by the sport’s governing body World Netball.
The national netball team is ranked ahead of nations such as Malta, Dominica and Canada and behind the trio of Hong Kong, St Kitts and Nevis, and Eswatini.
Current world champions Australia topped the rankings followed by England and New Zealand, as the second and third ranked nation in the world respectively.
Jamaica sit fourth while South Africa round off the top five teams. – Fadhil Yunus
