It was a case of so near, yet so far when Malawi national netball team put up a spirited performance, wriggling this way and that, trying to score but still lost 66-55 to the uncompromising reggae girls of Jamaica at North Shore Events Centre in New Zealand.<\/p>\n
It was the Queens\u2019 second defeat at the four-team warm up competition for the Commonwealth Games and they made it a 12th loss in 13 matches since last year. These are worrying times for the Queens.<\/p>\n
Nonetheless, the margin of the defeat to the reggae girls\u2014 or Sunshine Girls as Jamaica are called\u2014gives the Queens a glimmer of hope, considering that the Jamaicans beat New Zealand\u2019s Silver Ferns 59-51 on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Silver Ferns thrashed the Queens 75-42 on Tuesday before finding easy prey in Fiji who they beat 67-52 on Thursday.<\/p>\n
During yesterday\u2019s game, the Queens, at some point, held the Sunshine Girls at 33-33 before losing the third quarter 47-44.<\/p>\n
Overall, Malawi had a better shooting accuracy percentage of 90 percent against 81 for Jamaica but turnovers and poor defence contributed to the Queens\u2019 downfall.<\/p>\n
Malawi\u2019s top shooter, Mwawi Kumwenda, converted 35 out of 41 attempts whereas Sindie Simtowe- Msowoya, who started the match ahead of Manchester Thunder\u2019s shooter, Joyce Mvula, made it nine out of nine. Perfect.<\/p>\n
Similarly, Mvula, who came in at half-time, also converted all her 11 chances. Unfortunately, Mvula and Simtowe-Msowoya could not have started the match together upfront.<\/p>\n
In contrast, Jamaica\u2019s top shooter, Romelda Aiken, scored 29 of 35 chances whereas Rebekah Robinson scored 23 out of 30 attempts.<\/p>\n
Jhanielle Fowler-Reid was more ruthless, converting 12 out of 14 attempts while Shimona Nelson scored both her two chances.<\/p>\n
The Queens started the match with Kumwenda and Simtowe- Msowoya upfront, with Bridget Kumwenda and Thandie Galeta at wing-attack and centre-court, respectively.<\/p>\n
Goal-keeper Lauren Ngwira, goal-defender, Towera Vinkhumbo- Nyirenda, and wing-defender and captain, Joana Kachilika were in defence.<\/p>\n
The Queens trailed 15-13 in the first-quarter before Jamaica increased the lead to 30-26 at half-time.<\/p>\n
It was a similar case at the end of the third-quarter, which ended 47-44 in favour of Jamaica.<\/p>\n
Malawi eventually gave away the match at the start of the fourth-quarter when the towering Jamaicans upped their tempo and improved their accuracy, jumping and dancing their way to score with ease.<\/p>\n
Today, Malawi face Fiji in a third-place play-off to conclude the Taini Jamison tour whereas Jamaica will battle with the hosts for a gold medal.<\/p>\n
Netball Association of Malawi General Secretary, Carol Bapu, said the Whyte Mulilima-led coaching panel had taken note of the Queens\u2019 mistakes ahead of the Commonwealth Games.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a former Queens player has questioned the credentials of Mulilima, saying he was a better umpire than a coach.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy are they victimising Peace Chawinga-Kaluwa. We feel the best replacement for [Griffin] Saenda Senior is Peace. Apparently, Mulilima is an umpire. Why did Nam not pick Griffin Saenda Junior as a trainer? We feel their appointments will affect our netball landscape,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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