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All Stories by Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE senior women’s national netball team coach Ropafadzo Mutsauki says he is headed for a selection headache given the positive response players are giving in training.
The Gems began camp a fortnight ago at Prince Edward School in Harare ahead of the Netball World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa.
The global showpiece will run from July 28 to August 6, 2023. As part of their preparations for the global showpiece, the Gems last Sunday played a series of friendly games against the men’s team.
Mutsauki indicated that he has 17 local-based players in camp at present.
“What we have done because of the tight budgets is to have our local players taking turns to get into camp so that we maintain a small group at a given time.
“The local leagues are in progress and we are monitoring those to scout for more talent. Once a player is recommended we bring them into camp and we try them out,” said Mutsauki.
“The players are showing a positive response to the training and once the foreign players come in as well I am sure we will be able to come up with a competitive side.
“We have been trying to spy on our opponents but their preparatory games are not being posted. We are familiar with Australia. We know what to expect from them but we still need to have some insight into Tonga and Fiji.”
Zimbabwe were drawn in Pool A together with former champions Australia, Tonga and Fiji.
Other teams at the World Cup are Australia, Barbados, England, Jamaica, Malawi, New Zealand, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Trinidad & Tobago, Uganda and Wales.
Zimbabwe made their World Cup debut at the 2019 edition held in Liverpool, England where they finished eighth out of the 16 participants.
The Gems were last in action in November last year when they finished winless at the SPAR Diamond Challenge played at the Tuks Sports Centre in Pretoria, South Africa. — @innocentskizoe
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