Queens go down fighting to New Zealand
Malawi national netball team, the Queens, on Friday came so close to writing a fairy tale success story on the global scene when they came within 10 minutes from causing a dramatic upset against the world’s top-ranked New Zealand’s Silver Ferns at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
The Queens might have gone down 50-47, but they trooped out of the Scottish Exhibition Centre court with their heads held high. They forced the defending champions into rearguard action for the better part of the contest with a vintage show and had it not been for fatigue, lack of experience and their opponents’ height advantage, the Queens would have given the world a Cindirella tale.
The most touching moment was perhaps soon after the final whistle when Mwawi Kumwenda, strained with emotion, could not help but weep as she struggled to come to terms with the loss against a country where she plies her trade.
She gave her all—those leaps to catch the ball as if she were plastered with magnet, that cheeky body swerve and, of course, the sublime finish. Apart from Mwawi, there was also a vintage display from goalkeeper Towera Vinkhumbo, centre Beatrice Mpinganjira and goal attacker Sindi Simtowe.
New Zealand’s outstanding player was goal attacker Catherine Latu.
In a match monitored on SusperSport 7, the Queens were three baskets down in under two minutes, but picked themselves up to level the score and even took 6-5 and 11-10 leads at some point, but narrowly lost the first-quarter 14-13.
Half-time pep talk inspired the Queens and assistant coach Connis Mhone was overheard screaming: “Ayamba kusokonekera, musawasiye, amateni!” (They are getting confused, go on, give them more pressure).
In the final quarter, there was a notable look of desperation on Silver Ferns’ coach Waimarama Taumaunu and relief was the prevalent emotion when the Queens began to look weary and clearly lacked endurance and the champions still triumphed, but there was plenty of food for thought looking ahead.
Today, the Queens, who won their opening game 71-50 against Northern Ireland on Thursday, take on Saint Lucia.
