HARARE – Britain’s ambassador to Zimbabwe surprised Zimbabwe’s netball team after joining them for their morning training during preparations for the World Cup finals.
Melanie Robinson sweated it out at The Gems’ adopted Mbare training ground on Tuesday.
She tweeted alongside pictures of her playing with the elite group: “Good luck to @ZimGemsOfficial as they head to the UK this week for the @NetballWorldCup. I trained with them this morning in Mbare. They’re looking great.”
The team’s preparations for the tournament which gets underway in Liverpool, England, on July 12 have been beset by lack of funding for camping, friendly matches and kits.
But The Gems, who open their account against Sri Lanka, would have been buoyed by the visit of Britain’s top diplomat in Harare.
The team has been a magnate for diplomatic goodwill. On June 4, Australia’s ambassador to Zimbabwe Bronte Moules donated sportswear to the team, describing the girls as “inspiring role models”.
Handed over sportswear to @ZimGemsOfficial last night. Proud to support such incredibly talented women & huge congrats for qualifying for #NWC2019. Such inspiring role models for young girls and all the best in Liverpool. #ThisIsNetball @dfat @NetballWorldCup @KirstyCoventry pic.twitter.com/eKHiuNkABg
— Bronte Moules (@AusEmbZim) June 4, 2019
Four teams from Africa will take part in the 16-team tournament, which will be broadcast on SuperSport.
South Africa, Malawi, and Uganda are the other African teams seeking to break the Australasian stranglehold on the trophy, which will be presented after the final on July 21.
Six of the last seven finals have been contested by world number one Australia and New Zealand, with the exception being in 1995 when South Africa captured a silver medal.
South Africa are currently ranked fifth, followed by Uganda (sixth), Malawi (ninth) and Zimbabwe in 13th, according to the latest netball world ranking released on July 1.
Malawi start their challenge with a tough outing against fourth-ranked New Zealand; Zimbabwe’s opponents Sri Lanka are ranked 18th and South Africa start against perennially tough Trinidad and Tobago (10th), the only team other than New Zealand and Australia to capture the title, as they did 40 years ago.
Uganda will kick-start their World Cup participation when they play third-ranked England.
Netball World Cup SuperSport Broadcast Times
July 12: New Zealand vs Malawi (SS10, 9.45am)
July 12: Barbados vs Singapore (SS11, 10.05am)
July 12: Australia vs Northern Ireland (SS10, 11.45 am)
July 12: Zimbabwe vs Sri Lanka (S11, 12.05pm)
July 12: Opening Ceremony (SS10, 4pm)
July 12: Jamaica vs Fiji (SS11, 5.45pm)
July 12: South Africa vs Trinidad and Tobago (SS10, 6.05pm)
July 12: England vs Uganda (SS11, 7.45pm)
July 12: Scotland vs Samoa (SS10, 8.05pm)
July 13: Australia vs Zimbabwe (SS10, 9.45am)
July 13: Northern Ireland vs Sri Lanka (SS11, 10.05am)
July 13: New Zealand vs Barbados (SS10, 11.45 am)
July 13: Malawi vs Singapore (S11, 12.05pm)
July 13: England vs Scotland (SS11, 3.45pm)
July 13: Uganda vs Samoa (SS10, 4.05pm)
July 13: Jamaica vs Trinidad and Tobago (SS11, 5.45pm)
July 13: South Africa vs Fiji (SS10, 6.05pm)
July 14: New Zealand vs Singapore (SS10, 9.45am)
July 14: Malawi vs Barbados (SS11, 10.05am)
July 14: England vs Samoa (SS10, 11.45 am)
July 14: Uganda vs Scotland (S11, 12.05pm)
July 14: Australia vs Sri Lanka (SS10, 3.45pm)
July 14: Northern Ireland vs Zimbabwe (SS11, 4.05pm)
July 14: Jamaica vs South Africa (SS10, 5.45pm)
July 14: Trinidad and Tobago vs Fiji (SS11, 6.05pm)
Preliminaries stage two (July 15-18) and the playoffs and placings matches (July 19-21) will all be broadcast live with the final scheduled for 5.30PM on July 21 (SS10/9A).
