Malawi netball team to participate in Fast5 tourney in New Zealand

Malawi Queens have been invited to participate in the newly introduced Fast5 tournament to be staged in New Zealand in November.

Meanwhile, the team’s head coach Griffin Saenda has called for immediate camping.

The event will draw the world’s top six countries including the hosts, Australia, Jamaica and England.

Fast5 is a form of netball which has different rules and uses five players instead of the customary seven.

Saenda said it was important for Queens to start camping early to master Fast5e tournament’s rules.

“Each competition has its own rules so there is a need to start camping early to have ample time to understand and implement the new rules,” he said.

Saenda said his charges were capable of adapting to the new rules but they just need time to learn and train.

“There is nothing impossible in netball. If given chance most of these players can master the rules easily,” he said.

Netball Association of Malawi (Nam) president Rose Chinunda, speaking in a telephone interview from Arusha, Tanzania, said they have taken note of the concerns.

“Our secretariat is already making the required arrangements with government to address the issue,” he said.

The Fast5 tournament comes few weeks after the Queens failed to defend the Cosana championship in Swaziland after the authorities suddenly postponed it.