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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter

RAINBOW Amateur Netball League champions Correctional Queens have welcomed back the pair of Yvonne Madzikangava and Dorothy James into their fold.

The duo was sidelined for most of last season due to injuries.

The 2019 champions got their 2020 pre-season preparations underway last week ahead of the forthcoming season likely to start next month.

Assistant coach Faith Matanganyidze said they have started preparing for the new season, although they were still in the early stages working on the players’ physical fitness.

“We have started preparations, but right now we are still working on the physical fitness, then next week we start on the technical and tactical side.

“Most of the players are back, some who had injuries — Yvonne Madzikangava and Dorothy James — are back.

“We are training with them and we have prescribed a programme for them to assess if they will be ready for the season.

“We have Netsai Muchemwa, who has left because of injury. So far we don’t have any new players. My players are all equally good. So, if we lose one or two players, we have capable replacements. Their return is good in terms of increasing the depth we have.

“But, regarding performance, all the players we have always perform. I know I can get what I expect from any of them.’’

The 2019 champions lost just one match to ZDF Queens last season. It was their first defeat in two years following an unbeaten run in their 2018 campaign.

The Zimbabwe Correctional Prisons Services outfit retained the title for the second year running.

“I think last year we made some mistakes, and there are certain things we are working on correcting,’’ said Matanganyidze.

Correctional Queens have some of the best and most experienced players in the league.

Edna Nyamazha won the Players’ Player award at the RANL awards, while Ndaizivei Madzikangava, Lorraine Manjoro and Patience Chinhoyi are some of their outstanding players.