Netball Proteas overcome Wales to get World Cup campaign off to winning start

South Africa began their Netball World Cup at a raucous Cape Town International Convention Centre with a hard-fought 61-50 win over Wales on Friday night. 

With this win, the Netball Proteas have joined favourites New Zealand, Australia and Jamaica who also began their campaigns with impressive wins to make their intentions clear. 

There is a short turnaround of matches in this tournament and the Proteas will return to action on Saturday afternoon to take on minnows Sri Lanka who were hammered 105/25 by Jamaica. 

Coach Plummer sprang a surprise in her starting line-up by leaving out vastly experienced goal shooter Lenize Potgieter but the move did not affect the team at all as they managed this important victory. 

Potgieter, who was on the bench, did not play any part in this match and her unavailability raised questions that she may not have been fully fit and it remains to be seen if she will take the court against the Sri Lankans on Saturday. 

The Proteas got off to an impressive start and dominated the first quarter with a nine-point lead after 17 goals by Ine-Marí Venter and a solitary one by Elmeré van der Berg. 

It was not only the attackers who impressed but Karla Pretorius and Phumza Maweni were instrumental at the back while Bongi Msomi, Khanyisa Chawane and Shadine van der Merwe combined well in the middle. 

The Proteas reached halftime on the ascendancy and a good lead of eight points but Wales showed signs of improvement as they refused to go away in the face of battle. 

Wales’ resurgence was largely as a result of their star goal shooter Georgia Rowe gaining momentum on the attack and she was supported by goal attacker Phillipa Yarranton. 

At the end of the third quarter, South Africa enjoyed a ten-point lead and they continued in the same vein to ultimately cross the finishing line with an eleven-point advantage.

This match was preceded by the opening ceremony that was attended by deputy president Paul Mashatile, minister of sport Zizi Kodwa, Netball SA (NSA) president Cecilia Molokwane, World Netball president Dame Liz Nicholl and Western Cape premier Alan Winde. 

The day started with defending champions the Silver Ferns of New Zealand having little difficulty in romping to an impressive 76-27 win over Trinidad and Tobago, while Tonga narrowly beat a 'stubborn Fiji 56-51. 

In the second matches of the morning session, Australia produced a dominant performance to demolish minnows Zimbabwe 86-30, while Uganda also started their campaign with an impressive 79-37 win over Singapore. 

The results of Friday night's matches between England and Barbados, Jamaica and Sri Lanka, and Malawi and Scotland will be updated in the morning. 

1st Quarter: SA 18-9 Wales

2nd Quarter: SA 32-24 Wales 

3rd Quarter: SA 47-37 Wales 

4th Quarter: SA 0-0 Wales 

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