Malawi Queens squad named, leaves for New Zealand Fast5 tourney
A very youthful Malawi Queens squad leaves the country Friday very upbeat ahead of their participation in this year’s World Fast5 Series, which will be held in Auckland, New Zealand November 9 to 11
The Malawi team have been sensational since the inception of the competition in 2009, as World FastNet Championship. But in New Zealand it will be a new version 2.0 of the shortened form of the game, which has been rebranded “Fast5″.
Malawi Queens coach Griffin ‘Zagalo’ Saenda named 10 players out of the 18 that were in camp to travel for the tournament.
Saenda selected Caroline Mtukule-Ngwira (captain), Joana Kachilika (vice-captain), Towela Vinkhumbo, Tina Kamzati, Beatrice Kadango, Thandi Galeta, Bridget Kumwenda, Mwai Kumwenda, Laureen Ngwira and Sindi Simtowe.
“ We have a mission to complete as you are aware that we are now tired occupying position five in the World, therefore we will fight to go up the ladder,” Saenda told Nyasa Times on Thursday.
“I can assure you that we are going there to give a good account of ourselves,” he added,
The Malawi Queens veteran coach said they are gunning for top three in the World and maintaing their top slot in Africa.
Malawi Queens captain Caroline Ngwira assured Malawians that they will fight tooth and nail to be giant killers , warning Australia and England, that they should expect tough tasks facing Malawi.
“We have been training hard and nothing to complain. Our aim is to defeat the so called big teams like Australia and England for us to occupy a better position,” she said.
The last time, the Queens participated in the same tournament in Manchester they managed to hold the number one team in the World, Australia.
The top six Netball teams in the World, according to the IFNA World Rankings, will compete in the new Fast5 format.
Apart from the players, there will be eight official to travel to New Zealand for the tournament.
They include Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) president Rosy Chinunda, , coach Griffin Saenda, his deputy Sam Kanyenda, team manager Abigail Sharrif, team doctor Vincent Tsezani. Justice Msopera from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, will be the team leader.
The team traveled to Lilongwe from Blantyre on Thursday and fly out of Malawi on Friday afternoon aboard a South African Airways flight enroute to Hong Kong then Auckland according to the flight programme.
Fast5 World Series
November 9-11
Vector Arena, Auckland
Competing nations: New Zealand, Australia, England, Jamaica, Malawi, South Africa
Fast5 rules
* Fast5 matches consist of four six-minute quarters.
* Each team consists of 10 players with a maximum of five on court at any time.
* Teams may use unlimited substitutions via the substitution box adjacent their team bench at intervals or duringplay.
* There are three scoring areas in the Fast5 form of the game with areas for one, two and three goal points.
* Both sides get a powerplay quarter with their goal points for that quarter being doubled. Teams cannot take their powerplay quarters at the same time.
