Wednesday, August 2
*Zimbabwe Vs Singapore
*Sri Lanka Vs Barbados
*Wales Vs Uganda, 12pm
*Jamaica Vs Trinidad & Tobago
*South Africa Vs New Zealand
Group G
- New Zealand – 6
- Jamaica – 6
- South Africa – 4
- Uganda – 2
- Wales – 0
- Trinidad & Tobago – 0
(Top two reach semis, bottom four will battle for final placings)
Uganda Women’s National Netball team, the She Cranes, will face Wales on Tuesday in their penultimate game of the second preliminary round at the ongoing 2023 Netball World Cup in South Africa.
The She Cranes lost 49-61 against World’s number Four Jamaica and will be seeking to bounce back.
For majority of the contest, the quality gap between Uganda and Jamaica was visible despite a gallant fight from the She Cranes.
“We told them to stick to our game, I don’t know if the girls feared the game,” said She Cranes coach Fred Mugerwa.
“Jamaica intercepted a couple of our passes and even with changes, we couldn’t complete a comeback.
“It (the loss) put us in a difficult place, they proved better. They are hard, solid and are experienced. But we want to see how other games will go. Wales also need points but we also need the points more.”
That defeat all but ended She Cranes of reaching the semifinal with two games to spare.
She Cranes, to reach the semis, must win both their remaining group games including Thursday’s tie against hosts South Africa, and pray that one of New Zealand or Jamaica lose both of their remaining games (and with a good margin).
By the look of things, this looks unlikely, and the ball is no longer in She Cranes hands.
However, they will just back their chances to win their two games and hope for the best in other games.
Reaching the semifinals, which the Country has never achieved, was never the set target for the She Cranes for starters..
But the main aim going to South Africa was to better last World Cup’s position – Uganda finished seventh out of the 16 teams at the 2019 World Cup in Liverpool.
And winning the two remaining games will set the She Cranes on course for their best ever finish.
But first, they must take care of Wales, a side that beat them back 47-49 the last time they met at the World Cup – 2015 World Cup in Australia.
The She Cranes then started with Peace Proscovia, Rachael Nanyonga, Halima Nakachwa, Ruth Meeme, Jesca Achan, Stella Oyella and Alice Nantenza.
But the She Cranes have since dominated this contest. They beat them 76-40 at the Commonwealth games.
And they won both friendlies 64-46 and 56-47 in Cardiff last year in October.
The Welsh Feathers who are ranked 9th in the World will they can cause an upset and leapfrog the side even in World Rankings as Uganda are ranked at number 8.
Wales who missed the previous Netball World Cup, Liverpool 2019, qualified for this year’s event via the European Qualifiers which they finished unbeaten.
A place in the semifinals is out of reach for Wales, and will be searching for points so as they compete for the final placings from 5th to 12th.
In the preliminary round one, Wales beat Sri Lanka 68-57 and that’s their only win so far at the tournament.
They lost 34-83 to New Zealand in their only game in the second preliminary round.
How to watch – The match will be live on Grandstand and SuperSport Variety 4 (both on DStv)
