Malawi national netball team has kick-started the African Netball Championship on a high note following a convincing victory over Zimbabwe on Tuesday.
The Queens thumped Zimbabwe 79-43 in their first game in Zambia’s capital, Lusaka, to keep Netball Association of Malawi’s (NAM) dreams of winning the championship alive.
Starting with Joyce Mvula who plays for Manchester Thunder as goal shooter, Malawi dominated much the first quarter as at the end it was the Queens leading by 19 baskets to 9.
The Griffin Saenda girls were displaying a play of higher level and no wonder as of halftime the match was at 43-17.
Saenda made some changes as Kukoma Diamond’s Alinafe Kamwala was brought in for Mvula and Jane Chimaliro went in for Jessica Mazengera.
In the third quarter, Zimbabwe managed to add nine more baskets but at the end of it was 43-28 as of break before entering into the last quarter of the match.
Without experienced Joana Kachilika in the court Malawi won 79-43. The queens have few hours to rest as they are expected to face Uganda tomorrow (Wednesday) at 10am before meeting Botswana at 4pm in their second and third matches respectively.
Two top teams from the tournament are expected to join Malawi and South Africa who have already qualified for the next year’s Netball World cup showpiece which will be staged in Liverpool, England.
On the Queens’ departure, NAM general secretary Carol Bapu insisted that their association is waiting for nothing other than a trophy from the tournament.
The following is the first seven which started the match; Joyce Mvula (GS), Jessie Mazengera (GA), Thandie Galleta (WA), Takondwa Lwazi (C), Martha Dambo (WD), Towera Vinkhumbo (GD) and Loreen Ngwira (GK).
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