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Innocent Kurira , Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Netball Association (Zina) Bulawayo Province still harbours the dream of introducing a Division Two league but lack of funding has derailed the implementation process.
Zina at the beginning of last year put in place plans to introduce a Division Two league meant to develop and nurture talent in and around the city. It was also meant to promote the girl child through a sport that has traditional been hers. Zina acting provincial chairman Joseph Nkomazana says the introduction of the league remains on the pipeline.
“The idea to have a Division Two league has not been shelved. The delay in implementation has largely been a result of lack of funding. The reason we have to push hard for this league is that it is good for the development of the game. This league would allow players who cannot make the grade in the Premier League and Division One an opportunity to be active instead of being idle. We will continue seeking funding so as to have the league running soon,” said Nkomazana.
The game of netball is one of the sport codes the country has excelled in the last couple of years. The senior national team was recently in South Africa for the World Cup finals. The Gems lost all their group matches in the preliminary rounds against Pool
A table toppers Australia, Fiji and Tonga.
It was a disappointing and equally painful truth that the national senior netball side had crumbled. Having managed a respectable eighth place finish in the 2019 World Cup finals in 2019, an improvement was expected.
The captain, Felistus Kwangwa even made the bold promise they will finish in fourth position. She, however, atoned for her country’s failures by dominating in the individual player defence charts.
She did not see it coming then. Her faith was solid enough to carry the dream that was not to be.
In all their matches, no one will disagree with the view that the team looked unfit and unprepared to fight for the cause.
The Gems went to Cape Town amid the excitement of having made it to the grand stage but, the reality was glare for all.
There is still a lot of work to be done in netball, with structures from grassroot level feeding into age-group teams essential and a united senior competition level. Thre are two leagues, one sponsored and the other crying out for help. —@innocentskizoe
Online Reporter