Jamaica, South Africa hurdles for She Cranes

After morale-boosting victories over Scotland and Samoa, Uganda awaits an even tougher challenge against giants Jamaica and South Africa in the second phase of Netball World Cup.
Thrashed 64-32 by hosts England Friday, the She Cranes regrouped to beat Samoa and Scotland 69-48 and 52-43 to finish second in Group D.
Vincent Kiwanuka’s team needs to triple their efforts if they are to pass the sterner test from South Africa and Jamaica, who won Group C. However Uganda will not play England and Scotland again as Group D results will count. The top two teams at this stage advance to the semi-finals, while the third and fourth compete for fifth to eighth positions.

“Of course this is a tournament so the higher you go, the more difficult it comes,” said assistant coach Nelson Bogere. “But we are ready for the challenge as well.”
Goal attacker Stella Oyella, who was sent off against England, made up for her sins, scoring 27 of 28 attempts, and emerging player of the match again. “I’ll be changing positions. I will be playing centre and goal attack because I can play all of those positions. I put confidence in myself and in my team,” she vowed.

Jamaica’s strength
Jamaica have played 15 World Cups, winning bronze in 1991, 2003 and 2007. Uganda’s Proscovia, who plays for Sunshine Coast Lightning, will entertain familiar Australian League foes in defender Shamera Sterling, shooters Jhaniele Fowler and Shimona Nelson, who play for Adelaide Thunderbirds, West Coast Fever and Collingwood Magpies respectively. Jamaica beat Uganda 59-47 at the 2015 Netball World Cup in Australia. They have been ruthless in Liverpool, thrashing Fiji 85-29, 68 43 against Trinidad & Tobago but fell to South Africa 55-52 in Group C yesterday.

South Africa’s good record
Like Jamaica, South Africa are in their 15th World Cup, their best performance being a silver medal at the 1995 edition in Birmingham.
The Proteas beat Uganda 50-40 in the 2015 Netball World Cup and 53-42 at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
In Liverpool, they have beaten Trinidad & Tobago 76-45, Fiji 90-35 and Jamaica 55-52.
Uganda’s Proscovia will face Lightning teammates; Phumza Maweni and Karla Pretorious. Goal Attacker Maryka Holtzhausen, center Bongiwe Msomi are from Surrey Storm.

NETBALL WORLD CUP
Date: July 12-21
Venue: M&S Arena-Liverpool, England.
UGANDA’S RESULTS IN GROUP D
Uganda 52-43 Scotland
Uganda 69-48 Samoa
Uganda 32-64 England

THE SECOND STAGE
Group F – Top three countries
from Group A and B
Australia, New Zealand, Malawi
Zimbabwe, Northern Ireland, Barbados
Group G –Top three
from Group C and D
England, Uganda, Scotland, South
Africa, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago

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