Chronicle Editor
Harare Bureau
ZIMBABWE national netball team’s trip to Uganda was delayed with the team now set to leave for East Africa today for some friendly matches ahead of the World Cup finals in Liverpool in July.
Government has been securing the air fares for the team to travel for their first preparatory assignment.
The Gems have been in camp for the past month.
Yesterday, Zimbabwe Netball Association president, Letticia Chipandu, said the trip was definitely on after the Government, through the Sports Commission, transferred the funds.
“We are leaving tomorrow (today). They have managed to transfer the funds so we are busy sorting that right now,” she said.
“We will be in Uganda for five days and our matches would be rearranged, the dates, but we will still play the four matches.”
Gems coach, Lloyd Makunde, has since said the match against the Ugandans, who are ranked higher than Zimbabwe, provides good test for his troops.
“These games are very important for us. Some players are new to international netball and would be playing competitive matches for the first time.
“Playing a team like Uganda, we can really measure where we are. They are a force to reckon with on the continent when it comes to netball.
”They were seventh or eighth, I am not sure, at the last World Cup, so the competition they will give to us would be really good.
“We will know our strengths and weaknesses,” said Makunde.
More competitive friendly matches against other World Cup-bound teams, South Africa and Malawi, are on the cards.
Zimbabwe are in Group A with Australia, Northern Ireland and Sri Lanka.
Online Reporter