Queens’ squad oldest at C’wealth
Malawi national netball team, the Queens, have the oldest squad at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, in Birmingham, England with some of its players having featured at the 2010 Delhi Games over 11 years ago.
Four players in the 2022 games squad, namely Mwawi Kumwenda, Caroline Mtukule-Ngwira, Sindi Simtowe-Msowoya and Towera Vinkhumbo were part of the Queens side that finished fifth under former coach Edith Kaliati in 2010. Current Queens coach Peace Chawinga-Kaluwa was also part of the 2010 Games squad.
Players that were not part of the 2010 squad are Jane Chimaliro, Tendai Masamba, Joyce Mvula, Bridget Kumwenda, Takondwa Lwazi-Mtonga, Thandie Galeta, Sheila Dimba, Martha Dambo, Laureen Ngwira, Beauty Banda, Mada Mkandawire and Maggie Sikwese.
Meanwhile, the other teams at the Commonwealth Games have brought completely new squads.
No player from the 2010 Games that won the championship for New Zealand has survived after 11 years as the Silver Ferns have taken a completely new-look side.
Silver medallist from the 2010 Games Australia also have new faces in its squad for the Games.
Malawi’s rivals South Africa, who finished sixth in India in 2010, have also utilised their vibrant youth development programmes over the years and have a new-look Spar Protea side.
However, England, who won silver in 2010, still have Jade Clarke, Stacey Francis-Bayman, Joanne Harten and Geva Mentor, who were part of the India Games over 11 years ago.
Netball analyst Patrick Zgambo said Malawi netball needs to sort out continuity issues.
He said: “There is a serious continuity problem in Malawi. The reason Uganda is ahead now is because they have a robust continuity programme. Uganda is the second strongest team in Africa now. No contest. Zimbabwe and Namibia are next in line. Watch this space.”
Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) general secretary Isaac Chimwala admitted that the uptake of up-and-coming players into the Queens has been slow.
He said there are plenty of blossoming players ready to fight for positions in the Queens if given a chance.
Chimwala said: “We must admit that we have indeed not done much to ensure that up-and-coming players are transitioned into the Queens squad. As a result, we are still relying on the same names that were at the games over 10 years ago.”
He said the onus is on the Queens technical panel to borrow a leaf from the other teams at the Commonwealth Games.
Said Chimwala: “The technical panel have seen for themselves the players that other counrties have brought at the Commonwealth Games.
“It’s up to them to see how the current crop of players we have will perform against the players that other teams have brought.”
The Queens are in Group B with England, Northern Ireland, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uganda.
Malawi will start the campaign against England on Saturday before facing Northern Ireland on Sunday.
The Queens will then take on New Zealand on Monday. On Wednesday, Malawi face Trinidad and Tobago before wrapping up the group stage against Uganda on Thursday.
