Netball: She Cranes fight on but can't even afford water

By David Namunyala

Africa Netball World Cup Qualifiers, Botswana Results

Uganda 43 Zimbabwe 42
Swaziland 58 Namibia 47

Wednesday, 9.30am

Botswana v Uganda

Uganda’s mighty She Cranes continued to defy the odds on Tuesday after grinding out a close 43-42 win over Zimbabwe in Botswana.

The Ugandans, who left for the week-long tournament, last Thursday with only $240 (sh600,000), return to action on Wednesday against Botswana in a must-win fixture of their Africa Netball World Cup qualifiers on Wednesday at the Bona courts in Gaborone.

On Tuesday, Peace Proscovia teamed up with Florence Amono and Annet Nakiwu to inspire Uganda to its second victory of the campaign.

The She Cranes led the first quarter 12-10 before succumbing to a 21-22 score at half time.

Uganda’s representatives, who are living like paupers in Botswana and are accommodated and fed at a hotel on credit, however fought back to lead the third quarter 32-31. Uganda then completed the fight-back with a 43-42 victory with Nakiwu at the centre of the win.

“The situation is not good at all. I am still running up and down looking for financial help. I am supposed to raise money and then travel and go and clear the bills where the team is staying but I have still failed,” She Cranes manager Jocelyn Ucanda said.

The She Cranes had earlier beaten Zambia 53-48 in the opening game. The two wins stretch Uganda’s point tally to four points after two games in the round robin event that ends on Saturday.

The top two teams will join South Africa and Malawi as Africa’s representatives to next year’s World Cup in Sydney, Australia. Malawi and South Africa qualified by virtue of finishing in the top six in the last World Cup in 2011, Singapore.

Sixteen teams will compete in Sydney. Hosts Australia, New Zealand, England and Jamaica were the other top six finishers in the world meet.

Table Standing:

Team P W D L Pts
Uganda 2 2 0 0 4
Swaziland 1 1 0 0 2
Botswana 1 1 0 0 2
Namibia 1 0 0 1 0
Zambia 1 0 0 1 0
Zimbabwe 2 0 0 2 0