05 Sep Three to make JPL Div 2 debut

KUALA LUMPUR (5 September, 2017): Three new teams have booked their slots for the Junior Purple League (JPL) 2017 after Sunday’s qualifying round at Sports Arena Puchong.

Ayer Itam Badminton Club (BC), Bukit Gambir BC and Amanjaya BC will make their respective debuts in Division 2 of the JPL when it kicks off on September 16, 2017.

Bukit Gambir BC boy player Lim Tze Jian during JPL Qualifying 2017 on 3 September 2017.

In Sunday’s six team qualifying round, Ayer Itam BC and Bukit Gambir BC topped their respective groups with two wins each, while Amanjaya BC grabbed the final spot for the third edition of the JPL by finishing as the best second-placed team.

Penang-based Ayer Itam BC beat Pandan Indah 14-4 before thrashing Amanjaya BC 13-5 in group A to progress.

“This will be the team’s first experience playing in a prestigious tournament like the JPL and we are thrilled that all our efforts and hard work over the past two months have paid off,” said Jason Kah, team manager of Ayer Itam BC.

“Today’s (Sunday’s) performance was all based on teamwork which included the coaches and parents who dedicated much of their time, guidance, expertise and technical skills to build a club with a solid base. The players now have a platform to showcase their talent and fine-tune their skills,” he added.

Meanwhile, Group B winners Bukit Gambir BC were the first to secure their ticket into Division 2 when they edged Seremban BC 11-10 and then followed up that narrow win with a comfortable 10-7 victory over PGBC.

But it was touch and go for Amanjaya BC who had to wait anxiously for the score between Seremban BC and PGBC which ended 10-10 which allowed the Kedah-based club to eventually grab the final berth when they beat Pandan Indah BC 15-6 before falling to Ayer Itam 13-5 in their second match.

Ayer Itam BC boy single Lee Shun Yang during JPL Qualifying 2017 on 3 September 2017.

An elated Amanjaya BC coach, Zainul Hafiz admitted that his team were lucky to make it into JPL2017 as he was doubtful that his charges would qualify after the heavy loss to Ayer Itam, but the 5 sets they won in that game made all the difference and took them through.

“To be honest, I did not think we would qualify when we were losing 6-0 to Ayer Itam, but things started to look brighter when our mixed doubles pulled back two sets before Nur Syaza won her singles match 3-1 to increase our points count. I must give credit to Seremban BC and PGBC for playing their hearts out. The 10-10 score from that match had a huge bearing on the final list of qualifiers”, said the former Georgetown BC coach.

“I would also like to thank Purple League for this opportunity. I will make sure my players perform well in the coming weeks to prove that we belong in this league which has some of the best junior badminton clubs in Malaysia,” he added.

The three new teams will thus join the likes of Bukit Cheras BC, Bangsar Hawks BC, Subang BC, Georgetown BC, Tebrau City BC and Desa Petaling Eagles BC to battle for the JPL2017 Division 2 title and promotion to Division 1.

The first leg of JPL2017 is scheduled to be played on September 16-17 with the second on September 23-24 and the final leg to be played on September 30-1 October. All three legs will be played at Sports Arena Puchong.

JPL2017 Qualifying Round Results

Group A

Ayer Itam BC bt Pandan Indah BC 14-4

BS Lee Shun Yang bt Yeoh Ting Wei (11-8 11-6 11-5)

GD Nutthida Moonanan/Yamolphat Thanesanukul bt Kwek Oi Yen/Wong Kha Moon (11-2 11-6 11-8)

XD Ng Yong Chai/Wanida Buapa bt Hng Kean Sheng/Kristy Tay Yong (11-6 11-9 11-9)

GS Khor Jing Wen lost to Yeoh Zi Xuan (11-5 10-11 8-11 11-4 6-11)

BD Choong Hon Jian/Liew Jun Rong bt Kleven Lim Jin Yew/Wong Qian Yong (11-7 10-11 11-10 11-9)

Amanjaya BC bt Pandan Indah BC 15-6

BS Ooi Jhy Dar bt Kleven Lim Jin Yew (10-11 11-3 11-5 7-11 11-7)

GD Cheng Su Hui/Cheng Su Yin bt Kristy Tay Yong/Wong Kha Moon (11-6 2-11 11-9 8-11 11-5)

XD Eunice Hong Xuan/Goi Zi Chyan bt Low Chi Yeng/Yap Yi Jie (10-11 11-5 11-5 11-10)

GS Nur Syaza Roshidi bt Yeoh Zi Xuan (11-4 11-4 11-7)

BD Kelvin Lim Song Long/Ong Yang Sheng bt Tristian Hoo T Sern/Yeoh Ting Wei (11-7 11-8 9-11 11-7)

Ayer Itam BC bt Amanjaya BC 13-5

BS Loo Bing Kun bt Ooi Jhy Dar (11-8 11-9 11-4)

GD Nutthida Moonanan/Yamolphat Thanesanukul bt H’Ng Wen Gee/Leong Mei Chin (11-10 11-3 11-10)

XD Ng Yong Chai/Wanida Buapa bt Cheng Su Hui/Eng Chun Yu (11-5 11-10 7-11 6-11 11-8)

GS Khor Jing Wen lost to Nur Syaza Roshidi (11-1 3-11 7-11 7-11)

BD Choong Hon Jian/Liew Jun Rong bt Kelvin Lim Song Long/Soh Aik Yong (11-6 11-7 11-5)

Group B

Seremban BC lost to Bukit Gambir BC 10-11

BS Tan Ming Kang bt Lim Tze Jian (11-8 8-11 11-5 10-11 11-4)

GD Nur Azlinda Azlin/Tan Wan Ting lost to Dharshana A/P Haridass/Ng Sum Yee (9-11 7-11 6-11)

XD Muhd Atef Haikal/Nur Rizuwani Redzuan lost to Fang Guang Ning/Pornnicha Suwatnodom (11-5 9-11 8-11 11-9 9-11)

GS Zuelaikha Idris lost to Pornpicha Choeikeewong (11-6 11-10 4-11 2-11 10-11)

BD Kho Yap Hong/Mohd Syazmil Zailan bt Ai Wei Jun/Goh Zhong Rui (11-9 11-9 11-5)

PGBC lost to Bukit Gambir BC 7-10

BS Tseng Guo Ti bt Goh Zhong Rui (11-9 9-11 11-3 11-10)

GD Fan Yu Shan/Tu Chia Wei lost to Dharshana A/P Haridass/Ng Sum Yee (9-11 2-11 11-10 8-11)

XD Lim Sze Jin/Seow Soon Siang lost to Fang Guang Ning/Pornnicha Suwatnodom (3-11 3-11 7-11)

GS Christine See Nian Hui lost to Pornpicha Choeikeewong (5-11 4-11 4-11)

BD Chee Yik Shen/Oon Liang Jie bt Ai Wei Jun/Lim Tze Jian (11-7 11-8 11-6)

Seremban BC drew with PGBC 10-10

BS Tan Ming Kang lost to Tseng Guo Ti (4-11 11-9 6-11 5-11)

GD Nur Azlinda Azlin/Nur Rizuwani Redzuan lost to Fan Yu Shan/Tu Chia Wei (9-11 7-11 9-11)

XD Ng Waon Xuan/Tan Foo Hou bt Donny Chew Sen Geok/Lim Sze Jin (5-11 11-6 11-8 11-6)

GS Zuelaikha Idris bt Christine See Nian Hui (11-6 9-11 11-9 8-11 11-5)

BD Mohd Syazmil Zailan/Muhd Atef Haikal bt Chee Yik Shen/Oon Liang Jie (10-11 11-10