Diamonds to banish demons with Presidential title defence
Diamonds have vowed to banish their performance demons as they start their title defence todayThursday in the three-day national finals of the 2014 Presidential Netball Championship at Katoto Secondary School in Mzuzu.
Diamonds lost two title defences, namely, the Rainbow Paints Netball Series and the GOtv Netball Champions League, to their rivals Complex Tigresses during the 2014 season and the Presidential trophy is the only crown that still remains in their hands.
During the 2013 season, Tigresses also snatched the OG Issa Southern Region Netball League title from the Diamonds.
“We are desperate to end the 2014 season with something to show and this is the Presidential title. It has been a tough season for us due to lack of sponsorship, but we are geared to defend this title at all cost,” said Diamonds coach Griffin Saenda.
Diamonds, Tigresses, MTL Queens, Alliance Capital Sisters and Zomba Airwing Sisters will battle it out for the title against Central Region representatives Blue Eagles Sisters, Civonets, Mafco Soldiers and Green Sisters.
The Northern Region is being represented by Lameck Queens, Karonga Queens and Mimosa Queens as their ambassadors.
According to Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) general secretary Carol Bapu, the winning team on Saturday will get K4 million (about $8 000) while runners-up and third-placed outfits will receive K2 million (about $4 000) and K1 million (about $2 000) respectively.
The government has been sponsoring the annual Presidential Netball Championships at K30 million since 2009.
