Wrap: Proteas, New Zealand play to thrilling draw, Uganda dominate Wales

South Africa and New Zealand played out to a thrilling 48-48 draw while Uganda put in another dominant performance to defeat Wales 73-56 in Netball World Cup actions on Wednesday.

Wales 56-73 Uganda

Uganda defeated Wales 73-56 in Pool G action at the Netball World Cup 2023 in Cape Town, displaying yet another dominant performance.

Mary Cholhok, who played the first three quarters and converted 42 of her 44 shots, was once again a pillar of strength for Uganda. Her performance has vastly improved since joining the UK’s Super League. She dominated the circle through deft footwork and precise shooting.

Both teams entered the second quarter with the same seven players. Despite being unsatisfied with his team’s defensive performance, Uganda coach Fred Mugerwa maintained confidence in Stella Nanfuka and Christine Nakitto, whose work in the Wales circle kept the Welsh in the lead.

Before halftime, Lilian Achola replaced Margret Baagala (suspected malaria) in the centre position for Uganda. Achola is the shortest player in the World Cup at 1.58 cm. The She Cranes held a nine-goal advantage (36-27) at the conclusion of the first half.

In the third quarter, Wales shifted Ella Powell-Davies to goal defence and introduced Christina Shaw as custodian in an effort to halt Cholhok’s flow of high-quality passes. It did not appear to bother the She Cranes star as she continued to focus on the task at hand: keeping her team in the lead.

At the other end of the court, Nakitto and Falidah Kadondi, who replaced Nanfuka, did not allow the Welsh shooters any breathing room. They restricted their mobility and minimised scoring opportunities.

Cholhok remained on the Uganda bench for the beginning of the final 15 minutes, as Viola Asingo replaced her in goal. Cholhok had done enough to help her team to a comfortable lead. Baagala also returned to the centre.

The teams tied in the fourth quarter (15 each), but that did not prevent Uganda from claiming their first World Cup victory over Wales.

Zimbabwe 68-40 Singapore

Zimbabwe won their second game of the Netball World Cup 2023 on Wednesday when they defeated Singapore 68-40 in Pool E action in Cape Town. They will now compete for the 13th/14th position, while Singapore will compete for the 15th/16th position.

The result demonstrates Zimbabwe’s superior position in the world rankings, thirteenth compared to their opponents’ ranking of twenty-eighth. The World Cup in Cape Town is the second for the Gems, while Singapore has competed in 11 tournaments and served as host in 1983 and 2011.

The Gems established a commanding 15-goal lead in the first quarter by controlling the midcourt with deft passes and speed. The shooters Nalani Makunde and Nicole Muzanenamo had only one miss between them. At the end of the first half, with a score of 38-19, the African team maintained a comfortable lead.

In the third quarter, Zimbabwe faced an energised Singapore team that had been revitalised. Jamie Lim and Reena Manogaran performed admirably as defenders, deflecting shots and making successful recoveries, despite the fact that other aspects of the team’s effort were lacking.

In the fourth quarter, Zimbabwe regained momentum, led by the game’s Most Valuable Player, keeper Elizabeth Mushore. Due to her height advantage, her formidable presence in the circle posed challenges for the Singaporean shooters.

Zimbabwe entered the World Cup with high hopes after finishing eighth at the 2019 tournament, but they have failed to finish in the top 10 in Cape Town.

Jamaica 89-26 Trinidad & Tobago

Today in their second Pool G match in Cape Town, South Africa, Jamaica defeated Caribbean rivals Trinidad and Tobago by a score of 89-26 to advance to the World Cup semifinals.

Theresa Aiken George led the team in goals with 38, while Shanice Beckford scored 20. Captain Jhaniele Fowler contributed 16 points, while Rebekah Robinson scored 15 points.

Defensively, Jamaica limited Trinidad to 10 points in the first half, and despite Trinidad’s improvement in the second, the Caribbean side only scored 16 times.

Jamaica is currently in first place in Group G with 8 points. If defending champions New Zealand defeat hosts South Africa in their upcoming match, Jamaica will qualify for the semi-finals prior to their 11am match against New Zealand tomorrow.

South Africa 48-48 New Zealand

The Proteas put in a hard shift to earn a thrilling 48-48 draw against New Zealand at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

As one of the tournament favourites, New Zealand won the first three quarters. The looked to be overwhelming favourites in the clash of fluctuating fortunes, but conceded an equaliser that kept the hosts alive for a spot in the semifinals.

The Netball Proteas entered the match needing to win at all costs, but the draw leaves the door slightly ajar, given the complex permutations of the tournament.

The first three quarters concluded with New Zealand holding slim one-, five-, and four-point leads over the Proteas. The Proteas were buoyed by the near-capacity crowd’s vocal support.

South Africa did not want to lose and fought valiantly in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 points to New Zealand’s 10 to win 14-10.

The thrilling first quarter concluded with the Silver Ferns holding a one-point lead, 11-10, but South Africa could have been in front if not for Venter’s poor finishing.

Plummer substituted Elmeré van der Berg for Venter at the end of the second quarter after Venter’s unusually sloppy play in the goal circle let New Zealand off the hook.

In the second quarter, New Zealand increased their lead to five points, but South Africa fought back in the fourth quarter to force a tie.