Category: Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe and Singapore sign off Netball World Cup in triumphant style

Friday, 4 August 2023: Zimbabwe defeated Barbados to secure 13th place while Singapore got the better of Sri Lanka to secure 15th place in their final matches of the Netball World Cup 2023 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Friday.

ZIMBABWE 75 – 48 BARBADOS

Zimbabwe avenged their 45-62 loss against Barbados earlier in the week when they beat the Bajan Gems 75-48 to finish in 13th position at the Netball World Cup 2023 in Cape Town.  

Four years ago at the 2019 World Cup in Liverpool, Zimbabwe claimed eighth place and Barbados 12th.  

Right from the beginning, Zimbabwe took control, leading by three points early on. Goal attack Nicole Muzanenamo was in excellent form, receiving accurate passes from the mid-court and converting her shots effectively. She utilised impressive split landings once again to position herself well for scoring. 

Barbados managed to narrow the gap to just one goal (14-15) before the end of the first quarter, with a goal from Kadeen Corbin. The second quarter saw back-and-forth action. There were multiple intercepts and closely contested play around the goal circles. Zimbabwe’s Nalani Makunde scored four consecutive goals just before halftime, giving her team a 30-28 lead. 

The Gems maintained their momentum, and in the third quarter, they surged ahead with a substantial lead, outscoring Barbados by 22 to seven. This quarter proved to be challenging for Barbados, while Zimbabwe excelled. The scoreboard showed 52-35 in favour of Zimbabwe at the start of the final quarter. 

It was more of the same in the fourth quarter with Zimbabwe completely outplaying Barbados. The African team were lighter on their feet while the islanders found it difficult to keep up with the fast pace.  

Throughout the match, Zimbabwe’s fitness played a crucial role, as they made only two changes during the entire 60 minutes. In the last 15 minutes, Zimbabwe’s defenders limited Barbados’ scoring opportunities, resulting in a significant lead of up to 24 points at one stage. When the match concluded, Zimbabwe emerged victorious with a 27-goal lead. 

Zimbabwe captain Felisitus Kwangwa said her side raised their hands a little too late in Cape Town. 

“For the last few games we just told ourselves that we have to work hard and finish strong. I’m glad everyone in the team managed to rise to the occasion.” 

It was wing attack Sasha Corbin’s last match for Barbados, having previously represented England, and she said it has been a massive honour. 

“It’s been tough, I won’t lie, six games back-to-back with no rest, it has been extremely difficult. But at the same time, we’ve had to dig deep and I’m proud of what we have achieved,” she said.  

SCORES

Q1: 15-14 

Q2: 30-28 (15-14) 

Q3: 52-35 (22-7) 

Q4: 75-48 (23-13)  

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Nalani Makunde (Zimbabwe) 

SINGAPORE 49 – 46 SRI LANKA

Singapore and Sri Lanka renewed their rivalry in the battle for 15th place at the Netball World Cup in Cape Town on Friday. The sides have already met at this tournament, with Singapore winning by three goals on that occasion while it was Sri Lanka who prevailed in their previous 15th-place showdown at a Netball World Cup in 2019.

As expected Friday’s encounter was a neck-and-neck encounter but it was the Singaporeans who had the edge, grinding out a 49-46 victory.

It was a much better start from Sri Lanka compared to the last clash between the two sides in Cape Town where they found themselves nine goals down after the first quarter and playing catch-up throughout.

Singapore were punished for offensive contact on three occasions in the first quarter which proved costly while Sri Lanka took advantage of their greater possession (60 per cent), easily finding Thishala Algama in the circle.

Once again, shooting accuracy was a talking point in the match – the Sri Lankans firing in 15 of their 16 attempts while Singapore’s numbers stood on eight from 11. That saw the Sri Lankans reaching the first break 8-15 up.

Sri Lanka found it much tougher to find their shooters in the second quarter as Singapore’s defensive unit upped their intensity. That allowed them to win the quarter by one goal but they still faced a deficit of six with the Sri Lankans heading into halftime 20-26 in front.

The third quarter belonged to Singapore, their fluency and intensity seeing them quickly closing the gap. They were dealt a blow when, with five minutes left in the quarter, wing defence Shu Ning Yew went down with a knee injury and was wheeled off court by medics. She was replaced by Ting Fang Khor but Singapore continued to dominate, winning the period 16-10 and finding the all-important equaliser with 15 seconds remaining in the period.

That meant there was all to play for in the final 15 minutes. Having upped her percentage considerably from the opening period, Amandeep Chahal was rock solid in the Singapore circle, sinking nine of her 10 attempts as Singapore moved in front and held on for a memorable 49-46 victory over the Asian champions. The goal shooter was later named Most Valuable Player.

Speaking after the match an elated Singapore captain Kai Wei Toh said: “It feels great. We’ve been wanting to do this – to win and to up our ranking. I think the team did really well today – a deserved win. We had a slow start but the team fought through.

“In the first game I think we had a dip in the second quarter so coming into this game we wanted to fix that. We didn’t want to have any dips and stay competitive throughout the quarters and I think the team did achieve that today.

“We have been meeting Sri Lanka for many years and losing to them in our own Asian championships also so with this win, we receive a lot of encouragement for Singapore. I think a lot of the younger girls will have a bit more hope that Singapore netball is going on a bigger stage and that they can progress even further.”

SCORES

Q1: 8-15

Q2: 20-26 (12-11)

Q3: 36-36 (16-10)

Q4: 49-46 (13-10)

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Amandeep Chahal (Singapore)

Day 6 reports: African celebration as Uganda, Zimbabwe win

It was a triumphant morning for the African teams at the Netball World Cup in Cape Town on Wednesday as Uganda claimed a comfortable victory over Wales and Zimbabwe got the better of Singapore.

UGANDA 73-56 WALES

Uganda delivered yet another commanding performance at the Netball World Cup 2023 in Cape Town when they defeated Wales 73-56 in a Pool G encounter.  

The day began with news from the She Cranes camp that Norah Lunkuse and Christine Namulumba had been replaced by Viola Asingo (injury) and Sarah Nakiyunga (medical reasons). During the match several on-court changes were also made as a result of players feeling dizzy. After the match Uganda coach Fred Mugerwa suggested it was as a result of malaria.  

Goal shooter Mary Cholhok was once again a pillar of strength for Uganda, playing the first three quarters and converting 42 of her 44 shots. Her play has greatly improved since participating in the Super League in the UK. She commanded the circle with nifty footwork and accurate shooting.  

Both teams came out with the same seven in the second quarter. Despite being not entirely satisfied with his side’s defensive effort, Uganda coach Fred Mugerwa kept faith in Stella Nanfuka and Christine Nakitto as their work in the Wales circle kept them in the lead.   

Uganda made their first change just before halftime when Lilian Achola replaced Margret Baagala (suspected malaria) at centre. At 1.58 cm Achola is the shortest player at the World Cup. The She Cranes had a nine-goal lead (36-27) when the hooter sounded after the first two quarters.  

Wales switched Ella Powell-Davies to goal defence and introduced Christina Shaw on goalkeeper in the third quarter in an effort to stem the flow of quality ball to Cholhok. It didn’t seem to bother the She Cranes star too much though as she continued with the business at hand – keeping her team in front. 

At the other end of the court, Uganda defenders Nakitto and Falidah Kadondi, who replaced Nanfuka, didn’t give the Welsh shooters any breathing space. They restricted their movement and kept scoring opportunities to a minimum.  

Having done enough to help her team to a healthy lead, Cholhok remained on the Uganda bench at the start of the last 15 minutes with Viola Asingo replacing her under the post. Baagala also came back at centre.  

The teams shared the spoils in the third quarter (15-all) but that didn’t prevent Uganda from scoring their first victory over Wales in a World Cup.  

Speaking after the match, a satisfied Uganda coach, Fred Mugerwa, said: “It’s good because that’s what we wanted. We didn’t want to lose a game to Wales because, first of all, it would spoil our ranking. We just wanted to have that game so we remain where we are.” 

On Baagala who is suffering from a suspected case of malaria, Mugerwa added: “We hope that by tomorrow she will be fully recovered. That was the main reason we substituted her because she was dizzy because of the medicine she is taking, but I think by tomorrow she will have recovered to be able to continue playing properly.” 

Wales goal attack Phillipa Yarranton said it was a tough match. 

 “Any ball we lost today, they converted straight away and we also needed to slow things down. Personally, I had a few errors and I can’t afford to miss that many shots in a game. It’s back to the drawing board and focusing on the next game. There’s not a lot of time before tomorrow’s match against Trinidad and Tobago, so it will be an early night.” 

SCORES: 

Q1: 15-12 
Q2: 36-27 (21-15) 
Q3: 58-41 (22-14) 
Q4: 73 -56 (15-15) 

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Shaffie Nalwanja (Uganda) 

ZIMBABWE 68-40 SINGAPORE  

Zimbabwe scored their second victory of the Netball World Cup 2023 when they beat Singapore 68-40 in a Pool E match in Cape Town on Wednesday. They will now play for 13th /14th position while Singapore will play in the match for 15th /16th.  

The result is evidence of Zimbabwe’s superior position on the world rankings, 13th compared

to their opponents’ 28 th. The World Cup in Cape Town is the Gems’ second while Singapore have participated in 11, also playing host in 1983 and 2011.  

In the first quarter, the Gems established a strong lead of 15 goals, controlling the mid-court with skilled passes and speed. Shooters Nalani Makunde and Nicole Muzanenamo were on target, missing only one attempt. The African team comfortably maintained their lead, ending the first half with a score of 38-19. 

During the third quarter, Zimbabwe faced a rejuvenated Singapore team that played with increased energy. Defenders Jamie Lim and Reena Manogaran produced commendable performances, deflecting shots and making successful pickups, though other aspects of the team’s effort were lacking. 

In the final quarter, Zimbabwe regained momentum, led by goalkeeper Elizabeth Mushore, who was named the Most Valuable Player. Her strong presence in the circle posed challenges for the Singapore shooters due to her height advantage. 

Zimbabwe entered the World Cup with high expectations after finishing eighth at the 2019 tournament but have fallen short of a top-10 finish in Cape Town. 

SCORES: 
Q1: 19-6 
Q2: 38-19 (19-3) 
Q3: 54-34 (16-15) 
Q4: 68-40 (14-6) 

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Elizabeth Mushore (Zimbabwe)

Day 5 reports: England into semis, wins for Tonga, Zimbabwe

Just like Australia did with their win against Malawi earlier in the day, England secured their place in the semi-finals with a victory over Fiji at the Netball World Cup 2023 in Cape Town.

Tonga’s victory over Scotland ensured they will finish no lower than ninth, while it was Zimbabwe who triumphed in the battle of the bottom sides, claiming their first win of the tournament.

FIJI 28-89 ENGLAND

World number three England took on Fiji for the fifth time at a Netball World Cup and made it five wins from five in clinical fashion with a 28-89 victory in Cape Town on Tuesday. That saw them securing their spot in the semifinals with one game to play in the second round of preliminaries.

The Roses came out firing from the start. They proved solid on defence in the first quarter and even more deadly on attack with both shooters achieving a 100 per cent record and cruising to their highest quarter score of the tournament so far, taking a 26-8 lead into the first break.

Chelsea Pitman came on at wing attack at the start of the second quarter to earn her 50th England cap.

Fiji struggled to keep up with England’s pace as the Roses maintained their intensity in the second quarter. Another excellent showing from Imogen Allison – first at centre and then wing defence saw her turning plenty of ball to feed her rock-solid shooters. England’s slick connections saw them reaching the 50-goal mark by halftime, with Helen Housby maintaining her 100 per cent average, sinking 21 from 21.

The Pearls slowed England down somewhat in the third quarter, but not enough to have any major impact on the course of the game as England took a 46-goal lead into the final break.

The Fijians managed to score only five goals in the final period as England ran away with the 89-28 victory to book their spot in Saturday’s semifinals. The Roses’ showdown with Australia on Thursday will determine which side will top the group.

Despite the loss, Fiji were already assured of finishing higher than they did at the 2019 Netball World Cup after safely negotiating their way through the first group stage – so securing a place of 12th or higher.

England goal shooter Eleanor Cardwell was named Most Valuable Player after finishing the match with 40 goals from her 41 attempts for a 97.6 shooting average.

“I’m pretty pleased today,” said Cardwell afterwards. “Jess gave me the task of trying to shoot some longer shots today so I think I tried my best to do that. I’m pretty proud of all the team’s performance of what we put up today.”

As for her plans for a first hard-earned day off on Wednesday, Cardwell reckoned: “Sleep, sleep, eat, sleep. That’s about it. Might go on a little walk, venture out and actually see a bit of South Africa but hopefully lots of sleep.”

Fiji coach Unaisi Rokoura said afterwards it was a tough day at the office for her team.

"We knew England were going to be very tight defensively and we had to go hard at the ball from the beginning. In the first quarter we got some of the possession but we just didn’t capitalise on it and England took advantage of that,” she said.

“We came with a very young team and we've seen them grow in the last year as we prepared for the World Cup. They’ve now had the opportunity to play against the very big teams.”

SCORES
Q1: 8-26
Q2: 15-50 (7-24)
Q3: 23-69 (8-19)
Q4: 28-89 (5-20)

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Eleanor Cardwell (England)

TONGA 55-47 SCOTLAND

Tonga and Scotland faced off for the first time at a Netball World Cup in a Group F encounter in Cape Town on Tuesday, and it was the Tongan Tala who emerged as 55-47 winners.

The Scots missed several goals early in the first quarter, so allowing Tonga to get away from them and, perhaps, shaking their confidence. At the other end of the court, Tongan goal shooter Uneeq Palavi was once again a pillar of strength, however, putting in 12 of her 13

attempts in the first period. Her combination with centre Hulita Veve was also as impressive as ever, as the Tongans headed into the first break five goals up.

Scotland’s Emma Barrie came on for the struggling Beth Goodwin at goal shooter at the start of the second quarter, which proved to be a more even affair, ending on 13-13. Former Australian Diamond Mo’onia Gerrard had replaced Kelea Iongi at goal defence and

continued to put pressure on the Scottish shooters, whose average stood at just 69.7 per cent at halftime, compared to Tonga’s 84.8 per cent.

Scotland improved those numbers in the third number, slotting in 12 of their 14 attempts,

but with the damage already done, it was not enough to reel in the Tongans who continued to build on their lead, stretching it to nine goals by the final break.

A frantic final 15 minutes followed with the Thistles suddenly producing the intensity that was previously lacking and managing to win the quarter by one goal. But it was too little too late as the Tongans wrapped up the win to ensure they’ll finish no lower that ninth in the tournament.

Palavi was named Most Valuable Player and said: “Scotland was very physical – we expected that from them. But we also expected that from ourselves and it was a good match-up against them. 

“I think we just had the confidence. We came in blazing because we really wanted to prove ourselves after the previous losses against England and Australia. We just really wanted to cement ourselves in the rankings.”

Hannah Leighton, who did not receive the gift she would have wanted on her 25th birthday,

was impressive for Scotland in midcourt. She said a lack of consistency has let her side down.

“I think a lot of the things we were doing were good,” she said. “We were driving the ball through court and we were creating opportunities to win ball. I just think we need to be a lot more consistent throughout the game and just, at those key points, make sure that we’re still sticking to our structures and taking the ball forward with intent to goal.”

SCORES

Q1: 15-10
Q2: 28-23 (13-13)

Q3: 44-35 (16-12)
Q4: 55-47 (11-12)

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Uneeq Palavi (Tonga)

ZIMBABWE 71-36 SRI LANKA

With pride and honour on the line, Zimbabwe scored their first victory of the Netball World Cup 2023 in Cape Town when they beat Sri Lanka 71-36 in a Pool E match. 

The Gems started strongly, scoring four consecutive goals, causing immediate changes in positions for the Sri Lankan team on the court. Progress Moyo impressed with her excellent play on wing attack, controlling the mid-court and providing quality passes to the Zimbabwe goal circle. Shooters Nalani Makunde and Nicole Muzanenamo made the most of their opportunities, missing only one goal, and giving their team a comfortable 33-22 lead at halftime. 

In the second quarter, Sri Lanka performed better, scoring only three goals less than Zimbabwe and holding 60 per cent of the possession. 

However, in the last 30 minutes of the match, Zimbabwe, ranked 13th, dominated over 15th-ranked Sri Lanka, who seemed disheartened and unable to respond to the challenge. 

In the Zimbabwe circle, Muzanenamo displayed impressive split landings despite her small stature and was recognised for her outstanding performance with the Most Valuable Player award. 

In the final 15 minutes of the one-sided match, Zimbabwe continued their impressive play, scoring 19 goals while limiting Sri Lanka to just six, to wrap up the emphatic victory. 

Muzanenamo expressed her delight with her team’s performance.  “I would like to thank my teammates for not giving up, they did very well and did not give up until the very last minute,” she said. “I told myself whenever I get the opportunity, I’m going to give my best. We have also learned from our mistakes and we are going to work on that and keep on fighting.” 

SCORES:   
Q1: 17-10 
Q2: 33-22 (15-12) 
Q3: 52-30 (19-8) 
Q4: 71-36 (19-6) 

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Nicole Muzanenamo (Zimbabwe)

Day 3 match reports: Wins for England, Uganda, Jamaica, Tonga

Hosts South Africa were handed their first loss of the Netball World Cup 2023 in Cape Town on Sunday, as Jamaica secured top spot in Group C. England topped Group B with victory over Scotland while Uganda and Tonga also recorded victories to ensure their progress to the second round of the preliminaries which starts on Monday.

ENGLAND 62-37 SCOTLAND

Group B leaders England took on Scotland for the 10 th time at a Netball World Cup on Sunday afternoon in Cape Town and comfortably made it a perfect 10 out of 10 against the Thistles.

Coming off a good win against Barbados a day earlier, the Scots headed into the clash against a side ranked seven places above them full of fire. They managed to inch ahead at the start and were 3-4 up at one point, but a run of six unanswered goals from England saw the Roses levelling matters and then surging ahead. They took that five-goal lead into the first break.

England’s Olivia Tchine and Helen Housby effectively built on that lead in the second quarter as Scotland squandered several opportunities through basic errors. There was some concern as England centre Imogen Allison left the court in the final minute of the first half with what looked like a knock to the shoulder.

The third quarter was a good one for Scotland with several promising passages of play as they enjoyed more ball and put the English under a little more pressure.

But ultimately, although England’s scoring rate wasn’t as high as in their previous matches, they remained in control of proceedings and passed a memorable milestone in the third quarter, Tchine slotting in England’s 8000th goal in Netball World Cup history.

Their 62-37 victory saw England through to the second preliminary stage at the top of Group B with Scotland also progressing as the third-placed side in the group.

England wing attack Chelsea Pitman was named Most Valuable Player and said: “It’s amazing. I didn’t shy away from the fact that this was a goal of mine, to work my way back into the Roses and get to the World Cup so to be here and just be around the girls and feeling this environment is something really special… so I’m just a happy chappy.”

Speaking about England’s progress to the next stage, Layla Guscoth added: “It’s been a good three games. It’s been three completely different styles so I think that’s prepared us well going through to the next phase of things. I think it’s just about building, there’s nothing new that we need to do going into these two phases. It’s just about reflecting on what we’ve done and keep building and pushing towards the end goal.”

Scotland coach Tamsin Greenway, who represented England at three Netball World Cups as a player, said: “I’m really pleased if you understand what our processes are. We know our journey. We came here to challenge Malawi and we did it. We came here to beat Barbados and we did it. We came here to practise against England and learn and we did that.

“We’ve made improvements from 2019, we put into place some things I needed to fix from our last two games… we did all those things so I’m very happy.”

SCORES
Q1: 14-9
Q2: 31-18 (17-9)
Q3: 46-29 (15-11)
Q4: 62-37 (16-8)

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Chelsea Pitman (England)

UGANDA 74-33 TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 

It may not have been as clinical as they wanted it to be, but Uganda nevertheless outclassed Trinidad & Tobago 74-33 at the Netball World Cup 2023 in Cape Town on Sunday.  

On Saturday, eight-ranked Uganda went toe-to-toe with defending world champions New Zealand, only losing by 10 points. They scored a historical win over South Africa at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, relegating the Proteas to sixth position.  

The Ugandans started Sunday’s match without shooter Mary Cholhok, at 2.01 metres the second tallest player in Cape Town, instead opting for Christine Namulumba and Irene Eyaru in the circle.

Cholhok recently was the leading goal scorer in the UK Netball Super League, scoring 908 goals at an average of 50 per match.  

Trinidad and Tobago got the scoreboard going, pouncing on a few loose balls from Uganda and they managed to grab an early lead within the opening minutes. Sloppy work in midcourt by the Calypso Girls, however, saw the She Cranes getting on track to equalise and then build some breathing space. They held a narrow three-point lead after the first quarter. 

Cholhok moved in under the pole for the second quarter while Shaffie Nalwanja (wing defence) switched places with Christine Nakitto (goal defence). Cholhok teaming up with Eyaru proved to be the right decision as both made sure of their shots to put points on the board and put Uganda 33-18 in the lead at halftime.  

Initially it looked like Uganda was slowing down the pace of play considerably at the start of the third quarter, possibly a tactical decision to conserve energy for the next round of matches. However, the all-important third quarter turned out to be the She Cranes’ highest scoring one with 21 goals scored.  

In the last 15 minutes Uganda simply drove it home with clinical precision. They did the basics well and moved the ball down court with ease as Trinidad and Tobago ran out of gas.  

Uganda’s Irene Eyaru was named the Most Valuable Player of the match. As goal attack she scored 18 out of 19 goals. In the third and fourth quarters, she played wing attack. 

Speaking after the match, She Cranes goalkeeper Haniisha Muhameed said her side are ready for the rest of the tournament. 

“We wanted to win today, so we now have to go and do it, we are ready for it, mentally and physically. Every time you have the opportunity to go out there and play, it’s a good feeling. We are looking forward to the rest.” 

SCORES: 
Q1: 14-11 
Q2: 33-18 (19-7) 
Q3: 50-27 (21-9) 
Q4: 74-33 (20-6) 

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Irene Eyaru (Uganda) 

JAMAICA 67-49 SOUTH AFRICA

In the most hotly anticipated showdown of the first stage of preliminary matches, hosts South Africa faced off against Commonwealth Games silver medallists Jamaica to determine which side would top Group C.

In a surprise move, South Africa’s Lenize Potgieter was included in the starting seven, taking to the court for the first time in the tournament, with both knees heavily strapped.

It was a nervous start for both sides with possession changing hands three times before the opening goal was scored by Jamaica. The Sunshine Girls edged ahead in the opening minutes before the Proteas levelled at 8-all and then took the lead for the first time soon after. But some silly errors from the home side proved expensive and the Jamaicans capitalised to take a four-goal lead into the first break.

The Sunshine Girls then began to dominate in the second quarter, easily finding goal shooter Jhaniele Fowler in the circle and the Proteas soon found themselves nine goals down.

Despite massive encouragement from Potgieter, Elmeré van der Berg looked somewhat overwhelmed at goal attack and was soon replaced by the more confident Nichole Taljaard. Her

introduction had an immediate impact and the Proteas worked hard to close the gap, but they were still eight goals down at halftime.

The error count continued to rise for the South Africans in a disastrous third quarter, allowing the Jamaicans to take an even firmer grip on the game. The Sunshine Girls defence was particularly effective in preventing Potgieter from getting any ball in the circle and with five minutes remaining in the quarter, the South Africans had scored just one goal. The damaging third period for the hosts finished 20-3 in favour of the Caribbean nation.

Ine-Mari Venter was brought on to replace Potgieter at goal shooter for the final quarter and Shadine van der Merwe at wing defence while captain Bongi Msomi returned to centre. It was a better 15 minutes from the South Africans, who actually won the quarter by five goals, but that did little to dent the massive gap that the rampant Jamaicans had built by then.

The 67-49 win sees Jamaica progressing to the second stage of the preliminaries top of Group C, so providing a potentially smoother path to the semifinals.

Jamaican defender Jodi-Ann Ward was duly rewarded for her efforts by being named Most Valuable Player.

Speaking after the match, Jamaica’s assistant coach Keyan Murdock said: “We are pretty pleased in terms of the overall performance. The third quarter was impressive but I know we were playing a quality team so we expected the challenge that came from them. The final score doesn’t reflect how hard the game was so kudos to the South Africans in terms of how hard they played.”

South African captain Bongi Msomi remained positive after the match, saying: “It’s always best to play in front of your home crowd but mostly I’m pleased with how we started. The girls really stood strong.

“There were a few patches where we could have been better… I think this is a lesson. The World Cup doesn’t stop today. Yes, there are couple of tough games that we are going to come up against but if we can put together some of the great performances we had today, I think we can look forward to what’s next.”

SCORES
Q1: 16-12
Q2: 32-26 (16-14)
Q3: 52-29 (20-3)
Q4: 67-49 (15-20)

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Jodi-Ann Ward (Jamaica)

TONGA 55-46 ZIMBABWE  

Not even a passionate group of Zimbabwean fans staying on their feet, singing and dancing throughout the match could prevent the Gems from suffering a 54-46 loss against Tonga at the Netball World Cup 2023 in Cape Town on Sunday. 

For the African team it was their third successive defeat while Tonga added Sunday’s win to their victory over Fiji on the opening day of the tournament. They lost to Australia on Saturday.  

Tonga shooter Cathrine Tuivaiti came on court in the last minutes of the match. She is representing her third country having previously played for Samoa and New Zealand. This is her second World Cup after playing for Samoa at the 2007 tournament in Auckland. 

Zimbabwe initially created brilliant attacking moves with the ball landing in the circle regularly and with shooters Sharon Bwanali and Tafadzwa Matura scoring at 100 per cent. The Gems’ sharp passing put added pressure on the Tongan defence and they took an early lead. However, the Talas then started dishing out some of the same medicine and ended the first quarter three goals ahead.  

The next 15 minutes saw the momentum stay with Tonga as defenders Mo'onia Gerrard and Kelea Iongi made it difficult for the Zimbabwean attacking players to create openings. Tonga’s mid-court 

players further took control of the game. The Gems did manage to pull it back somewhat in the last minutes before halftime, but Tonga went into the break still leading 27-24. 

The second half of the match was a seesaw battle. The Gems continued applying pressure on Tonga as the Islanders were trying to move through the court and feed the ball into their goal circle.

Tonga’s shooters however remained composed and made sure of the chances to score that did come their way.  

As the final 15 minutes began, Zimbabwe found themselves trailing by nine goals. They tried to stage a comeback and cause a possible upset against a team ranked six places higher on the latest world rankings. The clock however was against them.  

Zimbabwe assistant coach Wisdom Shinya said their failure to maintain the early pressure on their opponents is what cost them the game. 

“It was an issue of mental fitness and also endurance, it’s coming up now to a point where the players are tired. We tried whatever we could have done but it wasn’t our day.” 

According to Shinya, his side need more exposure on international level to be more competitive.  

“We need to play more friendlies, not only with the African teams, we need to play against the big giants so that we can adjust to their level of play. Our players need to be out there.” 

SCORES 
Q1: 14-11 
Q2: 27-24 (13-13) 
Q3: 42-33 (14-9) 
Q4: 55 -46 13-13) 

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Kelea Iongi (Tonga)

Match reports, day 2: Wins for Fiji, NZ, Australia, Jamaica

Fiji pulled off an upset victory in their must-win match against Zimbabwe while three of the tournament favourites, Australia, New Zealand and Jamaica, all recorded victories on the second day of action at the Netball World Cup 2023 in Cape Town – albeit not without some tough competition from their gutsy opponents.

ZIMBABWE 48-52 FIJI

Both Zimbabwe and Fiji were hungry for their first wins of the tournament after suffering opening day losses at the hands of Australia and Tonga respectively.

Playing against each other for the first time at a Netball World Cup, it was a tightly contested opening quarter. A run of five unanswered goals saw Zimbabwe pulling ahead at one point but the Fiji Pearls came back at them, effectively making use of the soon-to-be- outlawed short pass to eventually level matters at 11-11. By the first break, Zimbabwe had just edged ahead by two goals.

The second quarter was once again a neck-and-neck affair, Fiji levelling matters five minutes in and then taking a one-goal lead into the halftime break.

Fiji notched up another impressive scoring run towards the end of the third quarter to surge nine goals ahead at one point and didn’t look back from there. The Pearls opened their gap to 10 goals at one point, and while the Zimbabweans did rally in the final quarter, winning it 13-9, it was not enough to avoid the upset loss.

Speaking after the match, Fiji coach Unaisi Rokoura said: “We knew coming into today’s game it was do-or-die for us and each sub-unit in the team had specific goals and targets that they had to work on in different areas in terms of defensively, marking one on one and identifying the key player which is their goal attack and we shut her down.

“We knew Zimbabwe was going to come with a physical game and we had to be smarter and just play our own Fijian style of play which is keeping it short and simple and that’s what we did.”

After finishing with a 93 percent shooting average, Fijian goal attack Unaisi Raulani was named Most Valuable Player and said: “I feel very excited because this was a do-or-die game. We had to win this one to go to the next level.”

Asked what made the difference for her side today, Rokoura reckoned: “I think it was just teamwork and communication on court, and also being consistent in everything we did on court.”

An understandably disappointed Zimbabwe captain Felisitus Kwangwa said: “I can say honestly everyone is very sad, including me. We just had a terrible start [to the tournament as a team.

“We just couldn’t maximise on our opportunities that we got as a team and that’s why we ended up here where we are right now.”

Assistant coach Wisdom Shinya added: “We still have a long way to go, we still have our jobs to do ahead of tomorrow’s game against Tonga. We just need to come out from the two losses and step up and do what we should have done in the last two games.”

SCORES
Q1: 14-12
Q2: 25-26 (11-14)
Q3: 35-43 (10-17)
Q4: 48-52 (13-9)

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Unaisi Raulani (Fiji)

NEW ZEALAND 54-44 UGANDA

World champions New Zealand survived a scare from Uganda for a 54-44 victory to record their second win at the Netball World Cup 2023 in Cape Town. The Silver Ferns have now won all four of their World Cup encounters against the She Cranes.  

New Zealand were pushed to their limit in the first two quarters by their African opponents.

Centre Margret Baagala worked hard in mid-court to move the ball through to the Ugandan goal circle, providing enough good scoring opportunities for goal shooter Mary Cholhok. The Silver Ferns however were not to be outdone, with Grace Nweke standing tall in the circle on the other end of the court, making sure she landed her shots. 

New Zealand went into halftime with a four-point lead, despite only having a third of the possession. It was their superior goal shooting, 92.3 per cent compared to Uganda’s 83.3 percent, that gave them the edge.  

In the third quarter, Silver Ferns coach Noeline Taurua brought on the experience of Jane Watson, Gina Crampton and Te Paea Selby-Rickit to prevent the first upset of the World Cup. Watson and South African-born Karin Burger proved a lethal combination on defence, starving the She Cranes of crucial ball in their attempt to close the growing gap on the scoreboard.  

Even though it was goal-for-goal scoring in the last five minutes of the match, the world champions outmuscled the She Cranes for a vital victory. Uganda will rue the chances they missed and not remaining calm under pressure to get the better of their more fancied opponents.  

Baagala, who was the most valuable player in Friday’s victory over Singapore, played all four quarters for Uganda. She was once again a standout player for her.

Taurua credited her side’s strong defensive effort as an important part of the Silver Ferns’ victory. 

“Our systems are set and we are fine-tuning what to do against certain opposition. I’m happy with how things are starting to settle and the progress we are making. That’s something we’ve discussed, that all 12 need to be ready in the combinations so that we can keep building and pose something different to the opposition.” 

Despite the loss, Ugandan coach Fred Mugerwa said he believed his 15-player squad, of which 13 players are making their World Cup debuts, will be on top of the world at some point. 

“As a country we have talents. The only problem is the lack of exposure. Apart from the few warm-up matches we had here in Cape Town, our only preparation back home was against men’s teams which were quite physical. Today we played our hearts out and we really wanted that win. Next time we shall do it.” 

SCORES  
Q1: 13-11  
Q2: 25-21 (12-10)  
Q3: 38-22 (13-11)  
Q4: 54-44 (16-12)  

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Phoenix Karaka (New Zealand)  

AUSTRALIA 84-38 TONGA

Boosted by their hard-fought victory over Fiji on the opening day of the tournament, the ever-improving Tonga team came out firing against 11-time Netball World Cup champions Australia in their Group A clash in Cape Town on Saturday.

The Tongans used their physicality to exert a good deal of pressure on the Diamonds, also matching their speed to ensure it was a tight first 15 minutes.

Taking on a team playing in just their second Netball World Cup and ranked six places below them in the world, the Australians would most probably have expected to be further ahead than 15-13 at the first break, but it was an impressive opening period for the Tongan Tala.

Aussie coach Stacey Marinkovich stuck with her starting seven in the second quarter and a 10-goal blitz at the start of the period saw the Diamonds pulling well ahead as normal order was restored.

Goal attack Steph Wood came on in the third quarter, so earning a 50 th cap for the Australians as Paige Hadley (WA), Jo Weston (GD), Sophie Garbin (GS) and Sunday Aryang (WD) also came off the bench.

As the game progressed, the Tongans seemed to run out of steam and their early intensity dissipated. They faced a 35-goal deficit by the final break and the Australians continued to dominate to wrap up an emphatic 84-38 win.

Jamie-Lee Price was named Most Valuable Player. Speaking afterwards about the number of turnovers in the first quarter of the match, she said: “Obviously it’s something we need to look at. We adjusted slowly in the first quarter, so I think it was just sticking to our gameplan – that’s all we needed to do, really and just adjust to what they were putting out there.”

Commenting on earning her 50 th cap for her country, Wood added: “It’s really special when you get to pull on the Australian dress, just to do it once is a goosebump moment but to think I’ve been able to play 50 games is something really special and something I’m really proud of.”

Tongan captain Hulita Veve said: “I think we came out firing. I think we had the energy and we came out to play hard. We just needed to work on our consistency in the second quarter and then we lost momentum, but we’ll go back and work on that one.”

SCORES
Q1: 15-13
Q2: 39-19 (24-6)
Q3: 63-28 (24-9)
Q4: 84-38 (22-10)

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Jamie-Lee Price

JAMAICA 75-40 WALES  

Jamaica scored yet another big victory at the Netball World Cup 2023 when they beat Wales 75-40 in Cape Town. This after crossing the 100-mark against Sri Lanka on Friday. Their 105 was the highest score on day 1 while the winning margin (80) was the largest. 

There are five positions between Jamaica (4) and Wales (9) on the latest world rankings and it clearly showed as the Sunshine Girls dominated all four quarters of the match. Jamaica’s combination of sharp attacking play and solid defence proved too formidable for their opponents. 

The victory showcased Jamaica’s skill, teamwork and strategic execution. Shooters Romelda Aiken-George, Rebekah Robinson and captain Jhaniele Fowler displayed remarkable accuracy, converting more than 90 per cent of their chances. Additionally, defenders Shamera Stirling and Kadie-Ann Dehaney created several turnovers and disrupted the Welsh attacking flow effectively. 

Fowler credited their success so far to the strength of the 12-player squad.

“Everyone is going out on court and doing their job and that’s what we need to for them to do, I’m very pleased with that,” she said.

“For tomorrow, I know South Africa is going to be coming hard at us. We just have to stick to our ground and play to the game plan.” 

Welsh goalkeeper Ella Powell-Davies said their aim was to disrupt the space of the Jamaicans as much as they could.  

“They are world-class players and we wanted to put as much pressure on the feed as we could in the circle. And when we got the disruption it was key that we took possession of that ball.   

“Tomorrow is Sri Lanka and it is a game that we want to go out there and meet all our performance goals. We want to have a full 60-minute performance and hopefully we can achieve that tomorrow.” 

SCORES  
Q1: 23-11  
Q2: 44-23 (21-12)  
Q3: 58-29 (14-6)  
Q4: 75-40 (17-11)  

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Shamera Sterling (Jamaica)

Results, match reports from opening day’s action

There were wins for hosts South Africa, Jamaica, England and Malawi on Friday evening as the Netball World Cup 2023 gathered momentum at Cape Town’s International Convention Centre.

The SPAR Proteas (South Africa) saw off Wales 61-50, while Jamaica were too strong for Sri Lanka, winning 105-25. England opened with a 90-29 win over Barbados ad Malawi beat Scotland 55-49.

Other results on the opening day were:

Australia 86-30 Zimbabwe
Uganda 79-37 Singapore
New Zealand 76-27 Trinidad & Tobago 
Tonga 56-51 Fiji

For all the tournament results, click on the below.

https://nwc2023.org.za/calendar/events-calendar/

Here are the morning sessions’ match reports.

NEW ZEALAND 76-27 TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

New Zealand’s Silver Ferns began their Netball World Cup title defence with a dominant display over Trinidad and Tobago at the Cape Town International Convention Centre in South Africa on Friday, claiming a 76-27 victory.

The 2019 Netball World Cup champions raced into a nine-goal lead before Joelisa Cooper could slot in Trinidad and Tobago’s first goal of the tournament. With Grace Nweke notching up a flawless 100 per cent shooting record at the other end of the court in the first quarter, the Silver Ferns were 23-2 up by the first break.

They continued that momentum into the second quarter, Maia Wilson coming on for Nweke and continuing the 100 per cent scoring record. But Trinidad and Tobago managed to find their shooters in the circle with more regularity – wing attack Shantel Seemungal and later centre Alena Brooks working hard in midcourt – scoring nine goals of their own to take the score to 43-11 at half time.

It was an even better third quarter from the Caribbean nation as they began by matching New Zealand goal for goal for the first 10 minutes and enjoyed 57 per cent of the possession. They once again scored nine goals but restricted the Silver Ferns to just 15 as New Zealand coach Noeline Taurua gave each of her players some court time. Trinidad and Tobago continued their positive performance in the final period, but ultimately the defending champions wrapped up a resounding victory.

New Zealand’s South African-born defender Karin Burger was named Most Valuable Player “I was happy with the start. I thought we were quite dominant,” said Taurua afterwards. “There are some elements we’ve been working on and I could see that out on court. I thought that as the game progressed we sort of pulled ourselves apart or the opposition did and we became reactive but it’s a good start for us and we know the areas we can improve on.”

New Zealand captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio added: “I think we did start well but we have to make sure that we continue to rise above the physicality when it comes so it was a good challenge for us…

“Obviously we had multiple combos out there but we’ve always talked around the fact that no matter who is on we have to be able to do our job so it’s just getting that consistency across the quarters but good for us to know now where we can grow.”

Trinidad and Tobago coach Joel "Twiggy" Young-Strong was pleased with her side’s performance, particularly in the second half.

“New Zealand is New Zealand – they were the World Cup winners so it was tough. We took a little too long to settle in but when we settled in we did some good things, we did some great things and I am very pleased with the goal that we set – to lift our goals against New Zealand and we did that so we celebrate some small wins today.

SCORES:
Q1: 23-2
Q2: 43-11 (20-9)
Q3: 58-20 (15-9)
Q4: 76-27 (18-7)

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Karin Burger (New Zealand)

TONGA 56–51 FIJI  

A spirited Tonga, in only their second outing at the sport’s showpiece, beat Fiji 56-51 in a Group A encounter on day 1 of the Netball World Cup 2023 in Cape Town. It was the first time these two island nations have met at the World Cup with Fiji participating for the 10th time.  

Tonga took to the court wearing black armbands after the recent death of Mo’onia Gerrard’s mother. The 42-year-old defender came out of retirement to represent her second country at a World Cup, previously winning the gold medal with Australia at the 2007 and 2011 tournaments. She made her international debut against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2004. 

It was a tentative start by both teams. Fiji decided on an aerial game to counter the more physical play of Tonga. It mattered on the scoreboard, and they ended the first 15 minutes with a five-goal lead.  

At the start of the second quarter, Tonga managed to grab a few goals and scored the equaliser after five minutes. Despite outscoring Fiji, their opponents went into the halftime break with a two-point lead.

When shooter Cathrine Tuivaiti came on court for Tonga in the third quarter, it was for the representation of her third country, having previously played for Samoa and New Zealand.

The 2023 World Cup is her second one, after playing for Samoa at the 2007 tournament in Auckland. 

With the third quarter winding down, Tonga’s superior position on the world rankings, seventh compared to Fiji’s 17th, enabled them to get a hold of the game. Although Fiji’s goal circle was operating well, silly mistakes were starting to creep in, costing them dearly.  

The last 15 minutes of the match saw strong attacking play from Tonga, putting their opponents under constant pressure across the court. Accurate shooting by Tuivaiti and Uneeq Palavi ensured the win. 

Tonga vice-captain Kelea Iongi was delighted with her team’s first victory at the 2023 World Cup. “It was just important to stay one on one and grind it out on defence and attack. It was just a case of staying calm, getting the tips and the intercepts. It was a great team effort,” she said. 

Tonga centre Hulita Veve was named Most Valuable Player.  She put in a great all-round performance, moving the ball through mid-court and getting several intercepts at crucial moments during the match. 

SCORES: 

Q1: 16-11 
Q2: 28-26 (15-12) 
Q3: 40-36 (14-8) 
Q4: 56-51 (16-15) 

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Hulita Veve (Tonga)

AUSTRALIA 86-30 ZIMBABWE

World number one Australia completely outplayed Zimbabwe in their first match at the Netball World Cup 2023 in Cape Town, beating their African counterparts 86-30. This was just the second World Cup meeting between the two countries. Australia won the only other encounter 73-37 four years ago in Liverpool.

Both teams remained the same for the first half of the match, with coaches Stacey Marinkovich and Ropafadzo Mutsauki appearing to take a “wait and see” approach. In the third quarter though, Marinkovich rung the changes, bringing on the remaining reserves and making several positional switches, including Ash Brazill moving from wing defence to centre and Jo Weston moving from centre to goal defence for Australia.

For Zimbabwe, captain Felisitus Kwangwa switched from goal defence to wing defence, Joice Takaidza from centre to goal defence and Sharleen Tanaka Makusha from wing defence to centre.

With Zimbabwe claiming 51 per cent of the possession during the first two quarters, the latter stages of the match saw the 2022 Commonwealth Games champions completely stamping their authority on proceedings. The Aussies claimed 15 intercepts, considerably cutting down the passing options of Zimbabwe.

Australian captain Liz Watson brushed off having to step from the court to be re-strapped for a light scratch, saying it was good to get the pressure of the first game out of the way despite being the top-ranked team in the world.

“There are some really strong countries here and international netball is getting tighter all the time. We’ve had some nice success over the past 18 months, this was a great start and  now we can build from here and go all the way. We just have to embrace being number one and be proud of that.”

It was a less-than-impressed Zim coach Mutsauki who addressed the media after the match.

“We lacked character today, especially in the second half. We gave Australia too much respect. It is now back to the drawing board before tomorrow.”

Courtney Bruce was named Most Valuable Player. Even though she only came on in the third quarter for Australia, coach Marinkovich used her versatility to great advantage. Bruce started at goalkeeper and then moved to wing defence, centre and goal defence.

SCORES:
Q1: 20-11
Q2: 41-18 (21-7)
Q3: 62-24 (21-6)
Q4: 86-30 (24-6)

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Courtney Bruce (Australia)

UGANDA 79-37 SINGAPORE

A first Netball World Cup clash between Uganda and Singapore saw the African nation dominating from start to finish and walking away with a 79-37 victory.

The She Cranes pulled away in the first quarter, enjoying 60 per cent of the possession in the period and surging ahead to a 22-9 lead.

It was more of the same in the second quarter as the Ugandans proved quicker and slicker on all fronts with Haniisha Muhameed and Shadiah Nassanga doing the business in the shooting circle.

The Ugandans stuck with their starting seven throughout the first half, coach Fred Mugerwa only making changes at half time. He brought 6 foot 6 Mary Cholhok on as goal shooter, with captain Irene Eyaru in as goal attack among several other changes.

Cholhok is one of just two players in the Ugandan squad with Netball World Cup experience, having played at the previous tournament in 2019. She played just one quarter on Friday, however, as Mugerwa continued to roll in the changes and give all his players valuable court time.

Ultimately it was a comfortable victory for the east Africans, much to the delight of their vocal supporters in the crowd, although coach Mugerwa was convinced his side should have scored more goals.

“I was happy but not a hundred per cent,” he said. “We should have scored more than the goals we scored but I think there are some errors that we are making as a team, but we will work on that.

 “Some passes were not good so we need to work on that, some of the movements as well, but the moment we work those ones out I think everything will be fine.”

Singapore captain Kai Wei Toh said the match provided a valuable learning experience for her side.

“It was a very big first game. We are a very young team so this game allowed them to experience different body builds and physicality – something that we can use to prepare for the next few games,” she said.

“We are fit enough to go for it – we just have to go for it. We didn’t expect it to be so tough but I think it’s a good thing that the team experienced it once and we know what to expect for the next one.”

“I think we can utilise our speed a bit more. Today we were a bit hesitant with our passes and runs because of their long arms and hands so if we are able to do that, we’ll be able to play a better game next time.”

SCORES:
Q1: 22-9
Q2: 42-18 (20-9)
Q3: 62-29 (20-11)
Q4: 79-37 (17-8)

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Margret Baagala (Uganda)

For all updated results visit https://nwc2023.org.za/calendar/events-calendar/




NWC a life-changer for Zimbabwe’s Kwangwa

If ever there was an athlete that proved how a great showing at the Netball World Cup can change the course of a career, it would have to be Felisitus Kwangwa.

The Zimbabwe captain was one of the standout players of the 2019 tournament, impressing on defence and earning three Player of the Match accolades in her nation’s first ever Netball World Cup.

Her outstanding performances caught the eye of the team management at Surrey Storm and, after the Covid pandemic and some admin issues were dealt with,

Kwangwa became the first Zimbabwean to play in the UK’s Netball Super League where she continued to stand out for her defensive prowess.

Now, the 28-year-old goal defence is determined for her side to once again leave their mark when they take on the world at the Netball World Cup 2023 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre in South Africa this month.

“Zim is to bring the Cup home and if not, at least to do better than at our previous World Cup,” reckoned the confident Kwangwa, who led her side to eighth place in 2019.

“The team is comprised of great players with so much potential, and I think we are going to give our personal best which will help us to do better than the previous tournament.”

The captain acknowledges the road to Cape Town hasn’t been an easy one for Zimbabwe.

“From the previous World Cup there have been quite a number of new young players in the squad,” she said. “Unfortunately, due to Covid-19 everything had to halt which was a big setback in the rebuilding process.

“I am glad that even though we’re still rebuilding, we managed to secure a spot for us to compete at the World Cup for the second consecutive time,” she added.

“Unfortunately, we only got one Test series in preparation for the tournament and I think it’s also hard for the coaches or anyone else to measure success.

“Nonetheless besides all that, the association has tried to organise a number of camps for the team to prepare which is what is very important.”

Kwanga’s rise up the netball ranks has been a remarkable one, after being introduced to the sport for the first time at the age of 10 at Mtshede Primary School.

in Bulawayo. It wasn’t necessarily her first love as she was also excelling in football and athletics at the time, but her talent for netball was immediately evident.

By the age of 17, she was a member of the junior Gems and earned her first senior cap against Zambia when she was just 19. By 23 she had been selected as captain of the side, leading their successful qualification campaign for their first ever foray to the Netball World Cup in 2019. Along the way, she’s also completed an honours degree in economic history.

The prospect of playing in the greatest tournament the sport has to offer on African soil is an exciting one for Kwangwa and one that can have a far-reaching impact.

“It’s good for netball development in the continent, and a challenge to the African nations competing as we need to keep the Cup in our land,” she said.

“I think it will also be a uniting factor for everyone involved, promote women in sport, and encourage other nations who are working towards professionalisation of the game.”

Zimbabwe have the daunting task of taking on the top-ranked team in the world, Australia, in their opening match of the Netball World Cup 2023 on 28 July. They then take on Fiji on 29 July and Tonga a day later.

Details on tickets and travel packages and more information are all available on the official tournament website (www.nwc2023.org.za) with a range of tickets and packages still available.

Photo courtesy Reg Caldecott

Zimbabwe target top four finish

Zimbabwe are targeting a top four finish at the 2023 Netball World Cup in Cape Town after naming an experienced squad. The tournament will be held at the CTICC from 28 July to 6 August, where 16 of the world’s best netball countries will vie to be world champions.

Zimbabwe’s final squad of 15 players was unveiled at an event held at a local hotel in Harare. England-based Zimbabwe netball team captain Felistus Kwangwa will lead an experienced Gems side which includes seven players who represented the country at the previous World Cup in Liverpool four years ago.

Gems coach Ropafadzo Mutsauki said he was happy that the spine of the team from four years ago had remained intact as he targets a top four finish in Cape Town.

Zimbabwe finished eighth on their World Cup debut four years ago.“It wasn’t easy to come up with the final team but when you are training it becomes easy to assess who is the best. I’m happy that we have managed to retain at least seven players from the previous World Cup team and that’s important in terms of our play,” Mutsauki said. “We are expecting to improve from our previous eighth position up to fourth position going upwards.” 

Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Thokozile Chitepo, who was the guest speaker at the ceremony, pledged government’s support. While the government is yet to reveal its financial package towards the World Cup campaign, SRC Director General Eltah Nengomasha said the budget would be announced in due course.

“We are in support of what the Gems have done … now that they have qualified, we are working with them and we already have their budget and we acknowledge the input which the corporates have put in place,” Nengomasha said.

“As our core in sport, lets continue having partnerships that add value. I would like to assure the nation at large that the government of Zimbabwe is in support of the Gems,” said Nengomasha.

Besides Nedbank Zimbabwe, who are the official sponsors for the Gems, other corporates who have come on board to support the team include Schweppes Zimbabwe, Cresta Oasis and National Foods.

This story first appeared in newsday.co.zw