JOHANNESBURG - The SPAR Proteas are looking to finish the International Netball Test Series against the Malawi Queens on a high, according to coach Dorette Badenhorst.
South Africa beat the Malawi Queens in the previous two matches of the series.
“I don’t have to motivate my team, they are a bunch of players that are winners,” said Badenhorst.
Shooting at 100% last night! 🔥 SPAR Proteas goal shooter Lenize Potgieter on her Player of the Match performance against the Malawi Queens in the second test.
— Netball South Africa (@Netball_SA) November 28, 2020
🇿🇦🆚🇲🇼#SPARProteas #WeAreAllIn #SPARChallenge | @My_SPAR pic.twitter.com/qfxvQNdBtp
The Proteas coach was ecstatic to have clinched the series even before its conclusion and said that the victory has enabled her to try out new combinations in the final match.
“These are ranking matches and it is always important to do well in ranking matches so that we can earn points. But there are things we want to try out and our series win gives us the freedom to do so,” said Badenhorst.
Although South Africa have won the series, the Queens will go into the final Test with a fighting spirit, believed Badenhorst.
Free State Crinums' 🌸 WD Sikholiwe 'Sne' Mdletshe and Southern Stings' ⚡️ GK Nicola Smith came on in the second half of the second SPAR Challenge test against Malawi. We caught up court side.
🇿🇦🆚🇲🇼#SPARProteas #WeAreAllIn #SPARChallenge | @My_SPAR pic.twitter.com/blDmwNADDr
“We know Malawi will come at us on Sunday but we want to finish on a high. I think we set ourselves a lot of goals during these few days and we played good netball and there are certain things that we want to work on,” said the Proteas coach.
On what the future holds for Netball South Africa, Badenhorst said apart from the SPAR national Championships which are taking place in December, her main focus will be on preparing the players for 2021.
“Most of our players will go back to their different franchises but we will have a training camp in February and that is where all the hard work will start.
"I will travel throughout the country and we will definitely have a lot of training camps to work with those players because we have selected a lot of players and we will need to coach those players and give them more opportunities to play."
The final Test will be played at the Superbowl in Sun City today (1pm).
IOL Sport