KUALA LUMPUR (27 December, 2016): Kepong BC managed to overcome a star-studded Petaling BC side 13-5 as the SS Purple League (SSPL) 2016/17 action resumes at Gem in Mall, Cyberjaya earlier today after taking a 2-day break.
Both teams needed to win desperately after getting off the slow starts respectively – winning just one game and losing two. Despite that, Petaling found themselves in fourth spot prior the match while Kepong was in fifth.
In the first men’s singles match, Petaling’s Liew Daren could only muster up a draw against 21-year-old Lim Chi Wing of Kepong 2-2 (11-8, 4-11, 11-10, 3-4).
However, Kepong took the lead after the women’s singles match. Hera Desiana Rachmawati of Petaling was on a high going into the match after winning three of her matches in a row. But she was second best on the day as she lost 0-3 (8-11, 8-11, 4-11) to Kepong’s Thai import and world number 13, Ongbamrungphan Busanan who was making her first appearance of the SSPL 2016/17 season.
Kepong extended their lead in the men’s doubles match thanks to debutant, Rasmussen Anders and Tan Chee Tean’s 3-1 (10-11, 11-9, 11-9, 6-5) win over another tournament debutant, Andrei Adistia and Goh V Shem of Petaling.
Their introduction of Thai international, Chayanit Chaladchalam in the mixed doubles match helped them secure the necessary points to win the match. Also making her first appearance of the season alongside the experienced Mohd Razif Ab Latif, the pair managed to grab a vital 2-2 (11-6, 7-11, 11-8, 7-8) draw against Petaling’s Indonesian pair, Agripinna Prima Ramanto and Devi Tika Permatasari as they secured their team’s second win of the season.
The rout was then completed in the second men’s singles match. Kepong’s Thai import Thongnuam Pannawit, who turned 21 three days ago cruised past Petaling’s Iskandar Zulkarnian 3-0 (11-10, 11-8, 11-6).
“This is an important and timely win for us as we were struggling to find our rhythm before this. And this is the first time we are performing with a full squad so some extent, it is quite surprising that some of the players came straight out of the blocks to beat a strong Petaling side,” said head coach of Kepong BC, Zakry Abdul Latif.
The result meant that Kepong leapfrogged above Petaling to fourth while Petaling could drop further down to as low as seventh depending on the result of the 8pm match featuring Ampang Jaya BC and BU Dragons BC.
SSPL2016/17 Results (27 December 2016)
(4pm) Petaling BC lost to Kepong BC 5-13
MS2: Liew Daren drew with Lim Chi Wing 2-2 (11-8, 4-11, 11-10, 3-4)
WS: Hera Desiana Rachmawati lost to Ongbamrungphan Busanan 0-3 (8-11, 8-11, 4-11)
MD: Andrei Adistia-Goh V Shem lost to Rasmussen Anders-Tan Chee Tean 1-3 (11-10, 9-11, 9-11, 5-6)
XD: Agripinna Prima Ramanto-Devi Tika Permatasari drew with Chayanit Chaladchalam-Mohd Razif Ab Latif 2-2 (11-6, 7-11, 11-8, 7-8)
MS1: Iskandar Zulkarnain lost to Thongnuam Pannawit 0-3 (10-11, 8-11, 6-11)
SSPL2016/17 Fixtures (27 December 2016)
(8pm) Ampang Jaya BC vs BU Dragons BC
