National Sports

Malawi Queens still rule netball in Africa

Part of the action during the Queens Game against South Africa.
Part of the action during the Queens Game against South Africa.

Even after surrendering the 2013 Africa Netball Championship, the Queens have survived as Africa’s best and fifth in the world, according to rankings released on Monday.

Out of 34 ranked teams, South Africa are placed sixth in the world and second in Africa, according to International Netball Federation website.

But the Spar Proteas are ahead on overall games having played 45, against 27 for Malawi and have a better weighting of 32 compared to 18 for the Queens.

The Queens lead 135-133 on ratings, largely due to the fact that the rankings are based on eight matches played within the rating period between January and July.

The world netball body calculated the rankings based on matches played until June 30 2013.

“If a team has played fewer than eight matches, they will still have a rating, but without a corresponding ranking. To have a ranking the team must have played at least two games against a rated team,” reads www.netball.org

During the Malawi event, each of the eight participating teams, including the Queens, played five games. Malawi won four and lost 54-52 to the new Africa champions Proteas in extra time.

The Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) president Rosy Chinunda breathed a sigh of relief yesterday.

“After the tournament, we thought we could drop to sixth with South Africa replacing us as fifth. The challenge is for us to play regularly as teams such as Jamaica.Teams are catching up with us,” Chinunda said on Wednesday.

Netball analyst Charles Mhango warned that unless there is massive investment in the sport, it could be a matter of time before the Queens’ slip on the chart.

“We are gradually losing ground and we have to wake up and be serious. Despite the massive potential, we do not treat netball in the same way others do,” said the Bingu Tigresses coach, speaking in his personal capacity.

Proteas players are on monthly salaries. They play throughout the year against top teams, have access to better facilities and nutrition, their coach Elize Kotze said.

“The Queens deserve better; an indoor court. We are talking about the number one team in Africa,” Kotze said on the sidelines of the Africa event which wound up on June 28 at the Blantyre Youth Centre.

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