The Netball World Cup got off to an electrifying start as the Proteas showcased their prowess with a resounding victory over Wales in their Pool C encounter at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Friday.
The atmosphere at the CTICC was nothing short of spectacular, with a boisterous and sold-out crowd rallying behind the home team, the Spar Proteas. The South African side emerged victorious with a scoreline of 61-50.
The Proteas came out strong right from the opening whistle, dominating the first quarter and securing a nine-goal lead. Ine-Mari Venter was the standout player in the first half, displaying exceptional accuracy as she converted 26 of her 28 goal attempts. Elmeré van der Berg also contributed with six successful goals out of her 12 attempts.
Also read: Netball World Cup ticket issues ‘resolved’ says tournament director
Despite a valiant effort from Wales, the Proteas maintained their lead, thanks in no small part to the impressive performance of the shooters.
During the second half, South Africa made two strategic substitutions, bringing in Nichole Taljaard for Elmere van der Berg and Jeante Strydom for Shadine van der Merwe.
Venter continued to shine throughout the game and ended with an impressive tally of 47 goals out of just 51 attempts. Taljaard was also in fine form, shooting eight out of nine attempts.
Looking ahead, the Proteas will face Jamaica on Saturday at 6pm in what promises to be another exciting encounter.
Also read:
Picture: @Netball_SA / Facebook