Micky Lin set to be a netball centurion
December 15 will mark a special day in Micky Lin's international netball career.
If all goes to plan, the 30-year-old will earn her 100th cap when Singapore face Taiwan in their third match in the annual six-country Mission Foods Nations Cup.
When she does achieve the milestone, she will join Jean Ng (111), Premila Hirubalan (112) and Chen Huifen (109) in the 100-cap club.
Speaking to The New Paper yesterday, the assistant manager at Deloitte, who is currently seconded to the Asean Para Games organising committee, said: "It is another competition for me, although the 100th cap is definitely a milestone that few have achieved.
"It's a good-to-have, and I definitely feel a bit old."
Lin actually contemplated retirement over the last few months, and now, she is taking it one tournament at a time.
She said: "I'm still in discussions with Ruth (Aitken, national coach) and it will depend on factors such as my workload and how my body is holding up."
She will captain the Nations Cup team, who were selected after a training tour to Botswana earlier this month.
The Singapore team are largely the same as the 12 who competed in the Netball World Cup in Sydney in August, with the exception of Chen, Shelby Koh, Yu Meiling and Olivia Flanagan.
Chen is taking a break from netball, Koh is studying in Australia, while Flanagan has relocated after the World Cup, while Yu did not make selection.
Goal shooter/attack Yasmin Ho rejoins the team after being part of their gold medal-winning South-east Asia Games campaign in June, while Kwok Shuyi (centre/wing attack/wing defence) and Parveen Nair (wing defence/goalkeeper/centre) also made the cut.
Toh Wan Ling, who plays as a goalkeeper, goal defender or wing defence, is also in the squad and will aim to add to her solitary cap.
In Chen's absence, goal shooter Charmaine Soh has been promoted to vice-captain, a role she shares with Nurul Baizura.
Aitken said: "The team is a good balance of youth and experience. It will give the next generation of players like Parveen and Kimberly an opportunity to work closely with, and learn from seasoned players like Micky and Premila.
"We're confident, and are hoping to end a successful year on a high with a positive performance at the Cup."
NATIONS CUP SQUAD
Micky Lin (captain), Nurul Baizura (vice-captain), Charmaine Soh (vice-captain), Premila Hirubalan, Ang Shiqi, Kimberly Lim, Chen Lili, Yasmin Ho, Kwok Shuyi, Pamela Liew, Toh Wan Ling, Parveen Nair.
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