14 new faces in Queens squad
Malawi Queens technical panel has included 14 new faces in the team’s 25-member local-based squad, in preparation for the 2023 Netball World Cup scheduled for South Africa in July.
This comes after the Malawi National Netball Team’s official sponsors FDH Bank plc released K21.5 million towards preparations for the global showpiece.
The call-up list released by the Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) yesterday, has eight players that were part of the recent World Cup Qualifiers, namely shooters Sindi Simtowe-Msowoya and Jane Chimaliro, centres Takondwa Lwazi and Shira Dimba, wing-attacker Thandi Galeta and defenders Grace Mwafulirwa-Mhango and Laureen Ngwira as well as wing-defender Martha Dambo.
Centre Bridget Kumwenda and shooter Tendai Masamba, who were part of the qualifiers, have been left out while shooter Alinafe Kamwala and defender Juliet Sambo have been recalled.
The new faces include shooters Salomy Nkhoma, Brenda Kapira, Stella Matelezi and Nancy Njawala; centres Lellie Banda, Eluby Chikooka, Lusako Mhango, Flora Chipeta, Mervis Msungama, Alice Mvula and Florence Gamuka and defenders Chifuniro Moses, Shabel Bengo, Maggie Sikwese and Beauty Basiyao.
First Choice Tigresses and Blue Eagles have contributed the highest number of players, eight each. They are followed by Civonets with three and two from Kukoma Diamonds. Mafco Sisters, Shizaella Queens and Lioness have contributed a player each.
Queens coach Peace Chawinga-Kaluwa yesterday said although there appears to be a gap between the old guard and the new players in terms of performance, she is confident the rookies will stand the heat and compete for places in the final squad.
“About 10 of the new faces impressed during the seven matches we had at the recent national trials and they just need a bit of polishing up to get to the required level,” she said.
However, the coach, whose technical panel also has Eleanor Mapulanga as assistant coach, defenders coach Judith Chalusa and physical trainer Madano Thepetheya, said there is still a need to ensure a clear pathway on Queens transition.
NAM vice-president Chimwemwe Bakali yesterday said they are happy that FDH Bank plc has helped towards the first camping as they wait for government to contribute towards their K352 million budget.
“This means that the Queens will go into camp this weekend either in Blantyre or Lilongwe. We are happy with what our official sponsors have done and we have been assured that government will also do its part in meeting our budget soon,” he said.
The first camping is the second of the nine stages that NAM set up for Queens’ tune-ups, which started with the national trials about two weeks ago.
Said Bakali: “After the first camping, the selected players will undergo home-based high-performance training in March to gain fitness. We will identify gyms in their respective localities for such exercises.
“National camping is scheduled for early April before another home-based training and local strength testing matches for players’ exposure between April end and early May.”
He said a full-scale camp training which will include international test matches, will be conducted May end for the technical panel to try combinations and for the new players to gain international exposure.
Bakali also said individual training and local training matches against top clubs and men’s teams will continue in the first week of June.
“We will have a national camping and some international test matches mid-June. This will help the technical panel to assess players’ fitness and select the final squad of 15 players,” he said.
“In July, the Queens will have a final camping before traveling to South Africa to acclimatise and have some strength-testing games against fellow World Cup-bound teams.”
At the global showpiece, which will take place on African soil for the first time, the world’s sixth-ranked Queens are in Group B alongside third-ranked England, 10th-placed Scotland and 14th-ranked Barbados.
Group A has Australia, Zimbabwe, Fiji and Tonga while hosts South Africa will take on Jamaica, Wales and Sri Lanka in Group C. Reigning champions New Zealand, Uganda, Singapore and Trinidad & Tobago are in Group D.
