Gems play men’s select side in WC preparations

Ellina Mhlanga Senior Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE senior netball team coach Ropafadzo Mutsauki says their training sessions this weekend will give them a clear picture on areas that still need more attention in their preparations for the World Cup as they have engaged the men’s select side.

The Gems got into camp last Sunday at Girls High School for their final camp ahead of the Vitality Netball World Cup from July 28 to August 6 in Cape Town, South Africa.

“It’s five days now, and from our observations, all the players are fit in terms of match fitness. You can tell they have been playing. Of course now we are training every day and it’s different from training once a day or twice a week.

“So they just need to adjust a bit because it’s different from the way we train at clubs.

“We are having a session tomorrow (today) with the boys’ team, so we will have a clear picture of their fitness level and how much progress they have made in the past few days so that we see how we can proceed in terms of the combinations that we have been working on in the past.

“From there we can see the areas that still need to be worked on, areas we need to focus on and where there is need for attention. So we will have a better assessment during this weekend’s session when we train with the boys,” said Mutsauki.

Vice-captain Claris Kwaramba is expected to join the rest of the squad today.

“The vice captain’s presence is important for the squad because it motivates the rest of the players. It also adds to the competition within the team.”

The technical team named a 21-member squad including three foreign based players.

For now, they are working with the local-based players while UK-based Felisitus Kwangwa and Australia-based pair of Joice Takaidza and Nalani Makunde are expected to join camp early July.

“We are going to maintain the squad as it is.

“We need the competition, so we are not dropping any player anytime soon.

“If we trim the team now, it means we won’t have competition, so we need the competition as they fight for positions until the final day we leave,” said Mutsauki.

Stand-in captain Progress Moyo, who attended the 2019 World Cup in Liverpool, England as part of ZINA’s development efforts said it is an honour to be awarded another chance to fight for a place in the final team that will represent the country in South Africa.

“Going to Liverpool on the development side, it was really a good opportunity for me.

“Of course we all wanted to be in the (final) team but you at the end there has to be 12 players in the team.

“But it was good for me just seeing people play, it inspired me and getting another chance to fight for a spot in the team I feel honoured and I am going to work hard for it, so that at least I get a shot at the World Cup.

“I am happy and I will give it my all,” said Moyo.

Zimbabwe will be making their second successive appearance at the World Cup.