The Sunday Mail
Veronica Gwaze
THE Zimbabwe senior netball team wrapped their participation at the Debmarine Pent Series with a 52-all draw against Zambia on Friday.
The draw saw the Gems finish third behind the She Cranes of Uganda and Malawi, in the tournament that ran between November 1 and 5, in Namibia.
The Gems lost out to Uganda and Malawi, and collected maximum points against Namibia and Kenya before sealing it off with a stalemate against perennial rivals Zambia.
Head coach, Lloyd Makunde, paid tribute to his charges.
“We came here with the intention of hitting two birds with one stone; namely, acquiring points to improve INF rankings, and start our build-up towards the 2023 world cup. We did just that.
“It was not easy, as rebuilding is never a walk in the park, but I am happy because we are in the right direction now,” said Makunde.
With the African Championships also scheduled for the same venue, between November 9 and 16, the team will remain camped in Namibia as it prepares for the crucial continental battle.
Makunde said the Pent Series also worked as a preparation platform for the African Championships.
“We have new players, who still need as much experience as they can get, and so this was their starting point.
“We were weighing them, and as the African Championships get underway, we now know which areas to look at.”
