Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira, [email protected]
ZIMBABWE national netball team coach Ropafadzo Mutsauki says he is keeping a close eye on his foreign players as preparations for the Netball World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa intensify.
The Gems will compete at the global netball showpiece that will run from July 28 to August 6.
While much of the preparations have been taking place locally, Mutsauki says he is closely following on the performances of captain Felistus Kwangwa who plays in England and Australia based pair of Joice Takaedza and Nyasha Makunde.
“We have broken camp for now and we will be returning in a fortnight.
We expect to resume camp with a few new faces we are hoping to assess. In terms of the foreign based players, l am in communication with them and following up on their performances.
“We want to make sure we are all on the same page when they join the rest of the team which is why it is important to always be in communication with them,” said Mutsauki.
The Gems coach wants his team to play friendly matches so that they assess their state of preparedness.
After finishing eighth in their maiden World Cup held in 2019 in Liverpool, the Gems are targeting a top-four finish in Cape Town.
Drawn with defending champions Australia, Fiji and Tonga in Pool A, Zimbabwe who were last in action at the SPAR Diamond Challenge played at the Tuks Sports Centre in Pretoria last November will need to push their limit to achieve a top-four finish at the World Cup.
— @innocentskizoe
Online Reporter