Peace fumes

 Malawi Queens coach Peace Chawinga-Kaluwa yesterday lost her cool and blamed umpires for the 56-39 defeat to defending champions South Africa’s Spar Proteas at the Africa Netball Championship.

The defeat at Wanderers Sports Club in Windhoek, Namibia, dealt the Queens a setback in their chase for the continental title which they last won in 2012.

The development means the Queens need to win all their remaining matches with wide margins in the round-robin formatted contest and hope that the other hot contenders—South Africa and Uganda—falter along the way.

In a post-match interview with Gravity Live Television, the Queens coach had no kind words for the umpires and looked visibly upset.

When a journalist sought her reaction on the match, Chawinga-Kaluwa, with her voice straining with emotion, said: “You were there and you saw it yourself. Did South Africa intercept?..No! Anyway, I am happy with the way players performed.

“We need clarification [from organisers] on other things that didn’t work well. We are saying if they [umpires] are able to blow against one side, why not [do the same] on the other side?”

But after cooling down, the Queens gaffer sounded ice-cool, saying: “I am a happy coach because my girls really played well and were able to handle the pressure.

“They played according to instructions. [However], I have seen some turnovers which when we went to the UIP for clarification they were unable to explain.

“South Africa were given balls either from off-side or delaying of:

which we do not know. So, such kind of free balls being given on a silver platter is something else.”

“Giving three, four balls to one team in such kind of situations is dangerous to the other team.”

She said the situation affected her charges mentally.

On the court, the Queens turned on a vintage display in the first two quarters in which they matched the Spar Proteas pound-for-pound. They passed the ball around with remarkable intelligence and grace. That they trailed 14-11 in the first quarter and then 25-22 at half time, was because of missed attempts, especially from their England-based star shooter Joyce Mvula, who by her own lofty standards, looked out of sorts.

At some point in the second quarter, the Queens led 18-17 raising false hopes, but they soon lost their rhythm as they registered a lot of turnovers coupled with missed attempts.

South Africa increased the tally to 41-29 in the third segment.

But at times, as tempers flared on both ends, the Queens’ defence appeared a bit too rough, attracting avoidable fouls that proved costly to the tie.

Nevertheless, the 17-basket defeat is a better result for the Queens against the continent’s highest-ranked team who battered them 69-28, 62-29 and 65-25 in their last meeting last year.

So far, the Queens have won three matches and lost once, having beaten Zambia 70-36, Botswana 67-23 and Zimbabwe 56-42.

They are third on the log-table with six points from four games while South Africa lead the pack on eight points, having won all their four matches so far.. Uganda, who were taking on Botswana yesterday, were second after three straight wins.

Malawi face Kenya this afternoon before entertaining hosts Namibia tomorrow. They will be up against Tanzania on Monday before wrapping up their fixtures with another tough assignment against Uganda’s She Cranes on Tuesday.