admin
Tadious Manyepo
Sports Reporter
THE technical team of the Zimbabwe senior netball team is tomorrow expected to name a 14-member final squad that will go into camp in preparation for the Confederation of Southern Africa Netball Association (COSANA) tournament scheduled for Malawi next month.
This follows a final selection trial held at the Mbare Netball Complex on Sunday.
Twenty-five players were provisionally selected for the final trial from several provincial meets the technical team has been conducting over the past months.
And 14 players have already been picked with head coach Ropafadzo Mutsauki expected to make an announcement by tomorrow.
The Gems are scheduled to take part in the COSANA competition in Malawi before they participate in an invitational friendly tournament to be staged in Manchester, England, in July.
The England tournament is being put together by a Zimbabwean based in the European country, Godfrey Mugadza, through his Ree Sports Institution.
It will feature top teams, including Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland Republic.
The Gems will use these two high-profile tournaments to prepare for the 2023 World Cup qualifiers to be held in South Africa in August. Gems assistant coach Tatenda Shinya, who led Sunday’s trials in the absence of Mutsauki, was impressed by the level of competition displayed by the players.
“All things being equal, we would have elected to take all the 25 players for both the COSANA tournament in Malawi and the friendly games in the United Kingdom.
“We are very impressed with the level of competition displayed by our players,” said Shinya.
“We will be using the games to gauge our strengths ahead of World Cup qualifiers. I am impressed with what I am seeing.
“The players are giving their all and they are very competitive. No one is guaranteed a place in the final team. They all have the zeal and the passion. Our future is bright.”
The players are drawn from both the Premier Netball League and the Rainbow Amateur League.
Zimbabwe Netball Association president, Leticia Chipandu, said they are looking for sponsors to chip in for the Malawi trip.
Gems Provisional Squad
Priscilla Ndlovu (Platinum Queens), Cynthia Gamuchirai (Mambas), Tafadzwa Mawango (Correctional Queens), Ursula Ndlovu (Glow Petroleum), Tanaka Makusha (Platinum Queens), Takadanaishe Assa Zimusi (Harare City), Nobukhosi Ndlovu (Goldreef), Tafadzwa Matura (ZDF Queens), Rudo Simbi (Harare City), Progress Moyo (Platinum Queens), Chipo Shoko (Platinum Queens), Elizabeth Mushore (Platinum Queens), Paidamoyo Tinoza (Glow Petroleum), Nicole Muzanenhamo (Green Fuel), Claris Kwaramba (Platinum Queens), Lynnette Tanhira (Platinum Queens), Beulah Hlongwane (Glow Petroleum), Lesibane Munjanji (Goldreef), Linda Nkoronko (Correctional Queens), Thandekile P Mahlangu (Green Fuel), Shallom Ncube (ZDF Queens), Ndaizivei Madzikangava (Correctional Queens), Beverly Chipadze (Glow Petroleum), Perisinevi Tabviroona (Filchrist Ladies), Khayalihle Mabhena (Goldreef).
Online Reporter