BABY SPAR PROTEAS COMPLETE A DOUBLE OVER ZAMBIA AND TANZANIA
Two weeks after the official appointment of Precious Mthembu as the Baby SPAR Proteas Head Coach together with Phumza Maweni, the duos first assignment was the Netball World Youth Cup 2025 Regional Qualifiers in Pretoria.
South Africa last played at the Netball World Youth Cup some eight years ago and this is an opportunity for them to make a return there again come next year September in Gibraltar. The Baby SPAR Proteas opened the first match day with an encounter against Tanzania.
The team was playing for the very first time together today since they were assembled – it was the hosts who were very quick to send a clear message to their opponents as soon as the whistle went off. The Baby SPAR Proteas restricted Tanzania to only scoring seven goals over an entire match while they put 75 past them.
The win for South Africa for the host was a great confidence booster ahead of their second match of the match against Zambia to close off first day of play. It was difficult to choose who would be player of the match from the South African side as all players that took to court were outstanding, in the end it was Sanmarie Visser who was voted Player of the Match.
Second match of the day was a battle between Kenya and Zimbabwe, with both teams also seeking to secure their seat at next year’s Netball World Youth Cup. Unlike the first match, this was a bit more competitive with both teams going at each other. At the end it was Zimbabwe who came up tops winning the match 49 – 39.
Malawi squared off against Namibia in the third match of the day. It was Malawi who was the stronger of the two sides. The team from Malawi were not about to become another team to lose a game on the opening day. The gave their Namibian counterparts a run for their money as they thrashed 43 – 28.
Games took a break to make for the official opening ceremony of the tournament. The event was attended by few government dignitaries from both municipality and provincial level.
The last match of the day saw hosts South Africa take on Zambia. Coach Precious made a few changes to her starting seven and gave some of the players who didn’t play in a starting run. Baby SPAR Proteas got off the starting blocks very quickly and converted their chances as early as possible in the match, Zambia only drew blood after four minutes – it was the Baby SPAR Proteas defence and discipline that kept Zambia at bay. At the end of the first quarter South Africa had of lead of 23 – 4 and in the second quarter they had extended their lead to 35 to Zambia’s 7. At the end of the match, it was the Baby SPAR Proteas that came out on as victors winning the match 72 -9.
ENDS
18 March 2024 Fixture
08:00 Namibia v Tanzania
10:00 Zambia v Zimbabwe
16:00 Zimbabwe v South Africa
18:00 Tanzania v Zambia
