Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) technical director (TD) Sam Kanyenda says he will maintain Malawi Queens immediate-past coach Peace Chawinga-Kaluwa’s style of play as the team steps up preparations for the Netball World Cup.

The global netball showpiece is scheduled for July in Cape Town, South Africa.

Kanyenda, who is temporarily in-charge of the Malawi National Netball Team currently in camp  in Lilongwe, yesterday said he believes the team just needs to be polished in terms of keeping possession and defending as a team.

He said: “There is no need to start afresh on how we approach the games. Mind you, as NAM TD, I am always part of the technical panel and I followed everything being done on the ground. So, it was easy to fit in.

Kanyenda: No need to start afresh

“However, I noted two areas that need to be seriously worked on after our recent participation in the PacificAus Netball Series in Australia. We need to improve on ball possession and we have to defend as a unit.

“I realised that in Australia, attackers seemed to leave the defensive role only to the defenders when we were supposed to move together as a single force. We will work hard on this during this camping period.”

Kanyenda said the squad is responding well and “the atmosphere is very good”.

He said that all but one of  the called-up local players have turned up for the camping, which will run for two weeks. First Choice Tigresses shooter Sindi Simtowe-Msowoya is expected to join today after attending a funeral service at her home village in Karonga.

Four overseas-based players, Mwawi Kumwenda-Mbwana, who plays in Australia, New Zealand-based Joyce Mvula-Nyirenda and United Kingdom-based defenders Carol Mtukule-Ngwira and Towera Vinkhumbo-Nyirenda will join the squad at a later date.

Kanyenda is expected to name the final squad of 15 players, comprising 12 traveling and three on standby, by the end of the two-week camp.

Meanwhile, the Malawi National Council of Sports  has boosted morale in the camp after settling all outstanding game bonuses and allowances for the Queens’ players who played at the PacificAus Netball Series in April.

Sports Council acting chief executive officer Shephord Boma addressed the players on Monday to encourage them as they step up preparations for the World Cup.

NAM general secretary Isaac Chimwala yesterday confirmed that Sports Council has also made advance payment of allowances for the players currently in camp.

For the PacificAus Series, the Queens have  shared K3.8 million in game bonuses and K2.14 million as external travel allowances. The advance allowance payments amount to about K2 million.

“This gesture will go a long way in raising the morale in camp,” Chimwala said. “A big thank you to the government, Ministry of Youth and Sports as well as Sports Council for the timely gesture.”

He further said they recently reworked the Queens’ Netball World Cup budget, which has now been reduced from K350 million to K255 million.

“We had to rework the budget to manageable levels after taking out some planned activities. For instance, we planned to have a non-stop camping, but we have decided to take out at least a week from each of the remaining two camps,” Chimwala said.

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