Malawi Queens need K15m for World Netball Series

Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) has requested K15 million to meet the expenses of World Netball Series in New Zealand in November.

NAM General Secretary Carol Bapu said the association has written Malawi National Council of Sports for funding.

Bapu disclosed that the team would only require 10 days of training to prepare for the Fast Five Series because the players had been active with the GOtv Club Netball Challenge being played on Fast Five format.

“We have written Sports Council requesting K15 million for the New Zealand Fast Five World Tournament to be held next month,” Bapu said.

“We are optimistic that the government would come in to assist as it has been case before.”

In a related development Malawi pulled out of two tests in Suva next month against Fiji’s build-up to the 2015 Netball World Cup.

Despite costs for the trip being covered by Fiji, Pearls coach Kate Carpenter says Malawi have informed them they won’t have enough players to fulfil their commitment.

“That was fantastic last year for the girls, also because it’s played at home and all the netball supporters can see what that top group looks like, so that’s not happening. It was in the programme but Malawi are unable to meet that commitment so our first international matches and preparation will start in next year—that six months through until the World Cup”.

The series, against the world’s fifth-ranked team, was agreed in August and was to be a carbon copy of last year, when Malawi stopped off in Fiji following the Fast 5 tournament in Auckland, comfortably winning both tests.