Makunde names Gems squad
ZIMBABWE’S senior netball team coach Lloyd Makunde believes the Diamond Challenge starting on Tuesday in South Africa is the perfect platform for some of the new players roped into the team to prove themselves as the technical team searches for talent ahead of next year’s World Cup.
The Gems will fight for top honours against Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and South Africa, who are fielding two teams at the Ngoako Ramatlhodi Indoor Sport Complex in Seshego, Limpopo.
While retaining most of the seasoned players that have been carrying the country’s flag in different tournaments this year, Makunde also roped in Sharleen Makusha, who is graduating from the Under-21 side, goalkeeper Lizzie Kanyekwere and wing defender Lorraine Manjoro.
Kanyekwere joined camp midway after some of the called-up players failed to turn up and made it into the final team.
Goal attack Paidamoyo Tinoza, who has been away from the national side since last November, also bounced back into the team.
“It was quite a stiff competition. We thought it was going to be easy, but I tell you it was not. The competition was very high, but we managed to come out with the best.
“It’s like we are trying to build a better team for the World Cup and this is just a stepping stone.
“We are considering these new players. We will see what they are made of when they play opponents from other countries, then we will compare with the other guys who were sidelined from this tournament because we already know their play.
“Sharleen is not new to Zimbabwe national teams, she was part of the World Youth Cup (team) from last year. So she is not new and she is playing well even at her club at Platinum.
“If you look at Lorraine, she also plays basketball, so her passing and her defending and offence is just brilliant. She is one of the key players at Correctional right now. And then Sharleen, she has got so many intercepts, so they deserve to be in the team,” said Makunde.
Makunde has already made it clear this will be their first step towards the World Cup preparations and yesterday said winning the Diamond Challenge will be a bonus.
“In as much as we want the title, that is not our number one goal. Our number one goal is to build a team for the World Cup.
“So everything we are doing from now until July is looking for best possible players who are going to represent the country.
“It’s not about Diamond Challenge only, it will be icing on the cake to win the Diamond Challenge,” said Makunde.
The team is expected to leave tomorrow ahead of their first game on Tuesday against Botswana when the tournament roars into life.
South Africa are the other country that have qualified for the World Cup among the countries taking part in the Diamond Challenge.
Rudo Karume, Cynthia Gamuchirai, Sharleen Makusha, Lizzie Kanyekwere, Perpetua Siyachitema, Ndaizivei Madzikangava, Claris Kwaramba, Lorraine Manjoro, Pauline Jani, Sharon Bwanali, Ursula Ndlovu, Paidamoyo Tinoza.
South Africa vs Namibia (3pm), Botswana vs Zimbabwe (5pm), Zambia vs SA President’s XII.
Zambia vs Zimbabwe (3pm), SA President’s XII vs Namibia (5pm), South Africa vs Botswana (7pm).
South Africa vs SA President’s XII (3pm), Botswana vs Zambia (5pm), Namibia vs Zimbabwe (7pm).
Botswana vs Namibia (3pm), South Africa vs Zambia (5pm), Zimbabwe vs SA President’s XII (7pm).
Botswana vs SA President’s XII (3pm), Zimbabwe vs South Africa (5pm), Zambia vs Namibia (7pm).