WAYA U-TURNS: Praises Mwawi Kumwenda as the Queens’ star
Malawi national netball team interim Coach, Mary Waya, has saluted Australia-based controversial shooter, Mwawi Kumwenda, who has been recalled to the Queens’ squad bound for England.
Addressing the press in Blantyre Tursday, Waya, who earlier said the Queens did not miss Mwawi during the Fast5 Netball World Series campaign that ended in disaster in Australia, said the player was a key member of the squad.
“We have welcomed her and we are glad to have her back. She is a key member of the team but that does not mean that other players are less important. Of course, it is a plus that we have such type of a player in the team,” she said.
Waya said the Queens would use the forthcoming three Test Series against England to prepare for the Commonwealth Games set for Australia next year.
“Currently, we have been polishing [up] the defence. If we tighten the defence, we are likely to get good results during the games. We are doing this [playing England] as we focus on next year’s Commonwealth Games,” she said.
Mwawi missed yesterday’s training session as she travelled to the United Kingdom’s Embassy in Lilongwe to process her Visa.
She was expected back in the camp last evening. The Queens are expected to face England at the end of the month.
Mwawi has returned to the Queens’ set-up after a protracted battle between her manager, Hlupikile Chalamba, and Netball Association of Malawi over the shooter’s expulsion from camp.
In the absence of Mwawi, the Queens lost all their six games at the Fast5 series to drop from position three to six.
Nam expelled Mwawi after she reported late for camp ahead of the trip to Australia last month.
Chalamba and Nam have since agreed to iron out the differences between the association and the player.
The Queens, who are not entertaining the press during training, have relocated from Blantyre Youth Centre to College of Medicine Sports Complex’s in-door court.
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