Rookies primed for Hong Kong

Brighton Zhawi —
THE Zimbabwe women’s national netball team heads for the Hong Kong Invitational tournament next week with rookies in the ranks.

The promising trio of Patricia Malaudi, Sanele Ncube and Mercy Mukwadi has been included in the Gems team announced by coach Ledwin Dondo last week.

Dondo unveiled the side after the Zimbabwe Netball Association confirmed that the national team will be at the tri-nations tourney after successfully raising US$18 000 needed for the trip.

Financial problems appeared set to deny the senior netball side a golden opportunity after the netball association said it was struggling to raise airfares.

But things are now looking up.

“We are so happy and grateful at the same time, we want to go there and make more friends,” said a relieved Zimbabwe netball association president, Letitia Chipandu. “We didn’t want to miss this golden opportunity which will give us a chance improve our game as well as world ranking.”

The team is camping at St Peter’s in Mbare, Harare and is expected to leave for Hong Kong on March 13. There they will battle it out with hosts Hong Kong and Malaysia in a tournament running from March 17 to 20.

“Everyone is excited about this opportunity to play new opposition,” added Chipandu.

She said playing in Hong Kong would help Zimbabwe prepare for its African Championship title defence as well as the World Youth Cup.

“We have included three young players – Patricia Malaudi, Sanele Ncube and Mercy Mukwadi – who will play at the World Youth Cup in Botswana in July, in the senior national team. We want them to gain experience and take that with them to their World Cup.

“For the senior players the mandate is to defend our African title in Uganda, we are doing our best to prepare for that,” said Chipandu.

The Gems, rated 17th in the world, will be favorites to clinch the Hong Kong Invitational title if rankings are anything to go by. The host nation is ranked 26th in the world while Malaysia sit on position 19.

However, Chipandu has urged Zimbabwe to guard against complacency.

“We don’t want to underestimate anyone, we have to take each game as it comes and play our best game. We obviously want to gain as much experience as possible and also improve on our world ranking,” she said.