Singapore, Malaysia, India and Canada; the top four seeds in the Women’s Team event at the Commonwealth Championships in Glasgow, all progressed to compete in the second stage of proceedings.

Top spot in the group was the end result in the first stage of proceedings for Singapore, Malaysia and India; whilst for Canada, it was second place, the number one berth in their group being clinched by England. The three remaining teams to join the elite top eight were: New Zealand, Wales and Australia.

Lower Places
Meanwhile, for Northern Ireland, Guernsey, Cyprus, Scotland and South Africa; they compete for places 9 to 13; the second stage of proceedings being on a group basis.

Format
Two groups, each with four teams, form the programme for the second stage of matters in both the Men’s and Women’s Team events; the group winners contest the gold medal, the runners up, the bronze medal position, the third placed teams 5th and 6th position and the fourth placed teams 7th and 8th spot.

Competition in the second stage of the Men’s Team event as yet to start but in the Women’s Team competition it is underway.

Singapore and India
Singapore, the top seeds, recorded a three-one victory over Canada with the one success for the latter coming from Zhang Mo; she beat Yu Meng Yu in five games but wins for Wang Yue Gu over Sarah Yuen ans Zhang Mo plus success for Sun Bei Bei over Yulia Degtiar secured victory for the top seeds.

Victory for Singapore and in the same group it was victory for India; the trio of Shamini Kumaresan, Poulomi Ghatak and Madhurika Patkar recorded a three nil over the Welsh trio of Naomi Owen, Angharad Phillips and Naomi Wilson.

England and Malaysia
Meanwhile, in the corresponding group, the England and Malaysia both emerged successful.

Kelly Sibley, Joanna Parker and Hannah Hicks recorded a three-nil success against New Zealand’s Sun Yang, Michelle McCarthy and Sarah Ho whilst Malaysia defeated Australia by a much closer score line. They won three-two.

Ng Sock Khim proved to be the backbone of Malaysian success beating both Miao Maio and Stephanie Xu whilst Beh Lee Wei also accounted for the latter; the Australian wins came from Peri Campbell-Innes against Chiu Soo Jin and from Miao Miao in opposition to Beh Lee Wei.

Scotland and Northern Ireland
Success for Singapore, India, England and Malaysia in the second stage matches for a top eight place whilst in the contest for places 9 to 13; it was success for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland represented by Liu Na, Claire Nelson and Amanda Mogey defeated South Africa’s Sameera Mal, Khanyisilie Madlala and Letshego Seleke by three matches to nil whilst Scotland’s Corinna Whittaker, Rebecca Russell and Gillian Edwards recorded a three-one victory in opposition to Guernsey.

The one win for Guernsey came from Dawn Morgan against Rebecca Russel whilst for Scotland Carinna Whittaker defeated both Paula Le Ber and Dawn Morgan with Gillian Edwards overcoming Kate Stubbington.

Cyprus
Cyprus the other team in the group contesting places 9 to 13 begin their matches in the second stage on Thursday 21st May 2009.

Image by Ayoade Ademakinwa