Queens secure Trinidad and Tobago friendly

The Queens will breathe a sigh of relief after securing a friendly game against Trinidad and Tobago in preparation for the Netball World Cup scheduled for next month in Sydney, Australia.

Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) general secretary Carol Bapu yesterday confirmed that the Queens will face Trinidad and Tobago on August 4 in Sydney, three days before the start of the tournament.

“The friendly has been organised by the International Netball Federation (INF). They offered to arrange some build-up matches for us and we gladly accepted.

“We could have loved to play at least two warm-up games, but they told us that it would be impossible. Nevertheless, better one than none. At least it will help us tune up our team for the tournament,” said Bapu.

Queens coach Peace Chawinga-Kalua also said the friendly had come as a relief.

“We were worried that we would be going to such a big tournament without playing even a single friendly game and I am very relieved. It won’t be enough, but it will still help us anyway,” said the coach.

Apart from lack of adequate friendly matches, the Queens mentor’s other worry is that her charges will not undergo high performance training.

Trinidad and Tobago are ranked 10th in the world—five places behind the Queens.