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| Sports |
| Queens retain Stanbic Netball Trophy |
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by
Leonard Sharra, 13 December 2004
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10:46:44
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The trophy shelf at Admarc Tigresses club will remain empty following the team’s failure to claim the prestigious K1.4 million ($12,962) Stanbic Netball Trophy from their rivals MTL Queens, who jealously defended it during the national finals played on Friday and Saturday at the Silver netball court in Lilongwe.
Six netball teams from the country’s three regions — Queens, Tigresses from Southern Region, Civonets, Blue Eagles (Centre), Fight Against Crime (Fac) and Mzuzu Admarc (North) made it to the finals, which saw the country’s two netball heavyweights coming face to face in the final.
The Blantyre-based giants went straight for each other’s throat from the word go and it was difficult to tell, who would cash the K200,000 Stanbic top prize cheque after the first quarter, which ended 12-11 in favour of the Queens.
Things turned sour for Tigresses in the second quarter, which saw Queens widening the gap through sharp shooter Emma Mzagada and experienced goal attacker Mary Waya. The defending champions led 26-18 at the half hour.
The worst was to come for the Kau-Kau girls in the third quarter, in which Queens increased the gap to 40-29. At the end of it all Queens came out victors with an impressive score of 53-41.
With the win, the Queens have proved total supremacy over their rivals, who have come out second best in the teams’ last six meetings.
Asked about the secret behind the success of her team, which last time took away the K300,000 Chombe Tea Netball Trophy from Tigresses, coach Edith Kaliati said she could not reveal the secret.
“I can’t disclose the secret. That is why it is a secret. We will be using it to beat teams like them,” said an excited Kaliati.
Kaliati’s counterpart Peace Chawinga blamed the loss on the barring of her defender Caroline Mtukule: “Mrs Kaliati and her colleagues deliberately frustrated our team by barring our most reliable defender Caroline, who was found to be pregnant after tests. This was a ploy to demoralise our team because Caroline featured in the other games.
“If they were acting in good faith, every player should have been tested before the games,” lamented Chawinga, who is coach/player for the Tigresses.
But Kaliati, who is also general secretary for Netball Association of Malawi (Nam) dismissed the outbursts, saying her team has beaten Tigresses in their previous matches with Mtukule on board.
Tigresses got K100,000 and silver medals. Third placed Civonets, who beat Blue Eagles 45-37 pocketed K75,000. Fourth placed Eagles went away with K65,000 with fifth placed Fac going home K55,000 richer. Last placed Mzuzu Admarc got K45,000.
Apart from the cash prizes, each team received 15 Stanbic T-shirts and caps. Civonets’ veteran shooter Connis Mhone was declared player of the tournament and she went home K20,000 richer.
Mzagada was named best shooter and top goal scorer, Civonets defender Addy Jamu best defender and MTL’s Sylvia Mtetemela best centre.
Lilongwe based umpire Rachael Chalamila was named the best umpire. They all received K10,000 each from the sponsors Stanbic Bank.
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