Yip booted out of Asian Games squad for missing training
Anastasia Yip Tsz-wan's hopes of playing in the Asian Games are over after head coach Charlie Burke cracked the whip on the all-rounder, who had failed to turn up for a number of training sessions.
Yip was part of the 15-strong women's squad who will leave for Guangzhou on November 11, the eve of the opening ceremony. Cricket is being included in the Games for the first time.
'She hasn't been turning up for training and we have been forced to let her go,' Burke said yesterday. 'I'm big on training and players need to know that they have to meet all requirements.'
The move means Hong Kong will have to make do with 14 players for the eight-team competition.
'The cut-off point for naming the squad was two weeks ago, and unless it is an injury, we cannot replace anyone,' Burke said. 'Yes, we are down to 14, but it is necessary that everyone follows the rules.'
Yip was unavailable for comment.
The Hong Kong women face Bangladesh, Japan and Nepal in the preliminary round. The other pool comprises China, Thailand, Pakistan and Singapore. The top two teams in each group go through to the semi-finals.
Bangladesh, the gold medal favourites in the Twenty20 competition, will arrive in town on Sunday for two warm-up matches against the Hong Kong squad next week. 'It will be a good test for our girls. We will know where we are and we can get our intensity levels up just before leaving for Guangzhou,' Burke said.
The men's team will play a couple of warm-up matches against China. The mainland squad arrive today, with games being scheduled for tomorrow and Friday. China will also play an exhibition game against a Hong Kong development squad at the Hong Kong Sixes on Sunday.
