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Ellina Mhlanga Senior Sports Reporter

NEWLY-APPOINTED Zimbabwe senior netball team coach, Ropafadzo Mutsauki, believes they have enough time to come up with a formidable team that will challenge for a place at next year’s Netball World Cup in South Africa.

The Gems began a month-long camp in Harare last week, which is the first of a number of camps lined up for the team ahead of the qualifiers due to take place in August, in Cape Town, South Africa.

Eighteen players have been called into camp and by yesterday most of them were in camp while South Africa-based Yeukai Chamba is expected today.

The Gems will be chasing another qualification to the global tournament after making their maiden appearance at the World Cup in 2019 in Liverpool, England.

Mutsauki said starting preparations early gives them the time they need for selection and working on ensuring the team is ready for the qualifiers.

The squad will be going into camp in batches as the coaches seek to rebuild after some of the senior players left soon after the 2019 World Cup.

“We want to produce results to qualify for the World Cup.

“Fitness affected us in Namibia, so that is why we started early. With more time we should have better fitness levels, combinations and it’s a selection process. When we get to July we will have a team in place and the fitness levels and combinations we want.

“This is important because first there should be a combination between the coach and players. If we have a combination, we can have a very good team. So if we have more time that combination can be achieved.

“Then there is understanding, with time we understand each other, the errors, problems and see how we can help each other. We are trying to build teamwork from the players to the head coach. If we have teamwork, we can produce results,” said Mutsauki.

Zimbabwe’s last competitive matches were in November last year when they took part in the Pent Series and Africa Cup in Namibia.

They finished third in the Pent Series and fifth in the Africa Cup.

Mutsauki is being assisted by Tatenda Shinya.

“Right now three quarters of the players are new, we have recruited young players. For some it’s their first time to be in the senior team system. So they may feel under pressure and may not manage, so with the experience we have as coaches, we have to work with them to be able to settle in.

“Some were part of the Under-20 team,” Mutsauki said.

Zimbabwe Netball Association president, Letitia Chipandu, said they have engaged South Africa, Uganda and Malawi for friendly games between April and June as part of their preparations.

“We have planned friendly games against Uganda, Malawi and South Africa. We are doing this in preparation for the qualifiers.

“One is pencilled for the end of April, the other one is in May, then the June one. In July, if we find another one, it would be okay. But July it’s more to do with the consolidation and trying to correct what we would have observed from the different friendlies we would have had.

“We have started negotiations, what’s left is finalising dates because everyone else is also preparing.

“It’s very beneficial for the team, when you compete and you want to be better, you compete with teams that are better than you because it’s like you are aiming to get where they are, rather than playing with teams that we beat, it’s best to compete with the teams that are better than us,” said Chipandu.

Provisional Gems Squad

Claris Kwaramba, Priscilla Ndlovu, Chipo Shoko, Lynette Tanhira, Progress Moyo, Tanaka Makusha (Platinum Queens), Merjury Marumirofa (Ngezi Platinum), Sharon Bwanali, Tafadzwa Matura, Portia Miti (ZDF), Nicol Muzanenamo, Mitchel Muzanenamo (Green Fuel), Marian Chiwawa (Masvingo City Stars), Rudo Simbi, Jeminah Washeke, Takadanaishe Zimusi (Harare City), Nobukhosi Ndlovu (Goldreef), Yeukai Chamba (Tornados Queens, South Africa).