National Sports

Queens whack uganda

The Malawi Queens yesterday turned on a five-star display to silence Uganda’s She-Cranes with a 59-45 victory in the Vitality Quad Series at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham, England.

The 14-basket victory ended the sixth-ranked Uganda’s four-year dominance over the Queens.

Before yesterday’s encounter, the last time the Queens beat Uganda was at the 2019 Netball World Cup with a 55-44 victory.

Queens

Since then, Malawi had lost five times, including at the 2024 Africa Netball Championship in Namibia.

But it all changed yesterday as the fired up Queens, buoyed by moral support from England-based Malawians, fought every inch of the way.

In a match monitored on Mibawa Television, after shrugging off some first quarter lethargy in which they trailed 14-12, the Queens turned on the heat in the second quarter in which they forced their opponents into rearguard action.

With Tendai Masamba thwarting the Ugandans’ raids and keeping their lanky England-based goal-shooter  Mary Cholhok under lock and key, Malawi’s performance was sweet to the eye with their pass-and-move game.

Pint-sized Takondwa Lwazi Chiwaya was also a marvel to watch as she kept the supply lines open for unstoppable England-based shooter Joyce Mvula, who kept the baskets flowing. She was  named player-of-the-match.

For a change, the Queens showed that they were back in town and the Ugandans had no answer to their impressive display.

Malawi led 28-25 at half- time and they engaged an extra gear in a third quarter blitz that had the She-Cranes gasping for air.

They stepped up their intensity and passed the ball around with remarkable ease that had their opponents on the back foot.

After the third quarter, they led 42-37 before getting it over and done with without breaking sweat with a convincing 59-45 victory.

The victory was the boost the seventh-ranked Queens needed after losing their first match 62-36 to hosts England’s Roses.

In another match, the hosts were taking on South Africa as went to press last night.

The Nico Group-sponsored Queens’ next match is against South Africa’s Spar Proteas on Saturday in London while Uganda will meet England.

Yesterday’s defeat was the second for Uganda after going down 75-40 to South Africa on Saturday.

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