Queens get set

The Malawi National Netball Team will today play two test matches ahead of the Africa Netball Cup and 2027 Sydney Netball World Cup Africa qualifiers which throws off this Saturday in Kenya.

The Queens, who are ranked eighth by World Netball, this morning face Namibia who are 14th and Botswana ranked 27th in the afternoon.

They will then wrap up the test matches against Africa’s top-ranked South Africa on Friday.

Queens players after

working out in the gym

yesterday. | Courtesy of NAM

The Queens coach Debbie Fuller in an interview yesterday said she chose the three test matches to study game intensity and a variety of tacticas before the tournament throws off.

The Australian tactician said she is not worried about pre-tournament injury scares because the “Queens have depth”.

Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) general secretary Yamikani Kauma Khungwa in an interview said the test matches are crucial as they will help put the team in competition mode.

She said: “Playing South Africa, in particular, gives the Queens a very strong benchmark while Namibia and Botswana provide another opportunity to test our adaptability and consistency against a different opposition.

“Our objective is to ensure that when the Queens start the Africa Netball Cup campaign they should be physically, tactically and mentally ready to compete.”

The Queens start thier campaign against 17th ranked Zambia in their opening match on Saturday, then Kenya which is 21st on Sunday and unranked Nigeria.

Meanwhile, Fuller now has a full squad after Mwawi Kumwenda, the only international player in the 15-player squad, joining the team in Kenya on Monday night from her Australian club Peninsula Waves.

Posting on its Facebook page NAM said the star shooter arrived in high spirits and joined her teammates in training yesterday.

The other members of the squad are defenders Aisha Gama (Blue Eagles), Chimwemwe Dzanja (KB Lionesses), Shabell Bengo (Kukoma Diamonds), Martha Dambo (Civonets), Mphatso Kanyimbo (Vanessa Sisters) and Sophilet Banda (Kukoma Diamonds).

On mid-court coach Fuller opted for Melia Soko (Vanessa Sisters), Prisca Banda (Civonets), captain Takondwa Lwazi (Blue Eagles) and Thandie Galeta (KB Lioness).

For shooters the Australian coach trusted the services of Stella Matelezi (Blue Eagles) Ethel Ng’ambi (Mafco), Florence Jeke (Civonets), Tendai Nasamba (Tigresses) and Kumwenda.

South Africa and Uganda already qualified for the Netball World Cup by virtue of being in World Netball top six, but are also in Kenya for the Africa Netball Cup.

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