UGANDA SHE CRANES’ FIXTURES
Friday, July 28
Uganda v Singapore
Saturday, July 29
Uganda v New Zealand
Sunday, July 30
Uganda v Trinidad
WORLD CUP POOLS
Group A: Australia,Tonga, Zimbabwe, Fiji
Group B: England, Malawi, Scotland, Barbados
Group C: Jamaica, South Africa, Wales, Sri Lanka
Group D: New Zealand, Uganda, Trinidad & Tobago, Singapore
In 2019, the national netball team, the She-Cranes, finished a commendable seventh at the Netball World Cup held in Liverpool, England. Four years earlier, they had battled to eighth position at the edition held in Australia.
On Friday, July 28, the She-Cranes commence their Netball World Cup campaign against Singapore at the Cape Town Convention Centre hoping to go one step better.
But unlike the editions of 2015 and 2019, the She Cranes expedition at the world’s biggest stage will be somewhat different.
The game of netball has hogged the headlines in 2023 for mostly negative reasons and in fact the She-Cranes encounters in Cape Town will give the sport a much-needed breath of fresh air.
Finally, for once in a very, very long time, netball will be in the headlines with the focus and emphasis on the players and coaches.
The well-documented feud between Sarah Babirye, whose term in office as head of the Uganda Netball Federation (UNF) has been riddled with various storms, and the National Council of Sports (NCS) hardly did the game any favours.
Things got so messy that they escalated to the level of the First Lady, who is also the Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni, for adjudication. The latter promptly requested Babirye to step aside for three months.
Her mini-spat with interim head Brigadier Flavia Byekwaso last week didn’t augur well for the image of the game with the World Cup a week away.
There was also a parliamentary probe that resulted in Babirye spending a short time at Luzira prison.
The girls to their full credit have kept their eyes on the ball and Coach Fred Mugerwa is confident that the team can deliver an impressive tournament.
The She-Cranes will most definitely not suffer from a lack of supporters; various Ugandans living and working in South Africa have bought tickets to brave the winter and cheer on the girls at Cape Town Convention Centre.
The She-Cranes will be playing for the pride of Uganda, but likewise they will be showcasing their skills to remind the country that there is a game of netball where Uganda is rated formidably against the best teams in the world.
The She Cranes squad in Cape Town includes shooters Irene Eyaru, Mary Nuba, Christine Namulumba, Shadia Nassanga; midcourt players Norah Lunkuse, Lillian Achola, Margaret Bagala; defenders Hanlisha Muhammed, Christine Nakito, Stella Nanfuka, Faridah Kadondi, Shaffie Nalwanja and reserves Viola Asingo, Annet Najuka, Sarah Nakiyunga
The head coach is Fred Mugerwa.