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Ellina Mhlanga
Senior Sports Reporter
WITH the senior national netball team in camp in preparation of the 2023 Netball World Cup, the national association is still pushing for friendly matches to give the side game-time ahead of the global event.
The 16-team tournament is due to take place from July 28 to August 6 in Cape Town, South Africa.
The Zimbabwe Netball Association have engaged Malawi, Uganda and South Africa for the friendly matches.
They will need to step up their efforts as the countdown to the tournament continues.
ZINA president, Leticia Chipandu said, they are still working on the logistics and are hoping to host Malawi around April.
“Malawi, we had wanted them to come here end of March but it’s too close. We still have some logistics we are working on.
“We have also spoken to Uganda; we would rather go there because whatever games we will play there are going to be rankings. Uganda should be end of May or June. Then we have also engaged South Africa and they have said they will get back to us, they have assignments. So those are the prospective friendlies planned.
“We have planned to go early to South Africa (for the World Cup). We are talking to countries like Wales for friendly matches. Some of them are coming early to South Africa, so we will have a list of countries we can engage,” said Chipandu.
The Gems trooped into camp last week on Wednesday for a month-long camp at Prince Edward School.
The technical team, led by head coach Ropafadzo Mutsauki, is currently working with 19 local-based players.
Gems’ assistant coach, Tatenda Shinya, said the team needs more game-time ahead of the Netball World Cup.
“It’s easier to see how they play when playing an opponent that they don’t know, than playing against each other.
“So it’s going to benefit us a lot if we can find at least two or three friendlies even in this first camp or second camp, it’s going to be beneficial if we can get as many friendlies as we can.
“I am sure by July we will have a strong team. We will be ready, we will be prepared to play any team, even the Australians, we are ready for them.
“I think we just have to stick to our plan, we don’t have to compare ourselves with South Africa, Malawi or Australia because we are Zimbabwe, we have our own way of doing things. We just need to do it one step at a time and I am sure we will get there,” Shinya said.
Some of the regular players in camp include goal shooter Sharon Bwanali, Tafadzwa Matura, Tanaka Makusha and Claris Kwaramba.
Bwanali, Makusha and Kwaramba were part of the team that represented the country at the 2019 Netball World Cup in Liverpool, England.
Kwaramba said the attitude in camp has been positive and is hopeful if they get friendly matches, it will put them in a better position going into the Netball World Cup.
“Everyone is working hard, putting maximum effort. I am happy that we are pushing each other, the senior players and the juniors, everyone is doing their best.
“We all have different fitness levels, some of the clubs had early pre-season preparations and some started a bit late. But I am just happy that everyone is doing their best and helping each other.
“The coaches are really pushing us. There is no room for reluctance. I think with the training we are going through, by the end of this camp we would have made huge progress.
“Of course, we are training but I think we need to get more friendly matches with different teams and players we are not used to, to gain experience and identifying our weaknesses.”
Zimbabwe were drawn into Pool A alongside 11-time world champions Australia, Fiji and Tonga.
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