or
In one of the upsets of the Games so far, Malawi has come away with a stunning victory over Netball fifth seed South Africa. The fourth day of the Netball competition continues with gold medal favourites Australia and medal aspirants including Samoa, Wales, Fiji, St Vincent and The Grenadines, Barbados and New Zealand. The Netball competition began today at the State Netball Centre with England, New Zealand and Jamaica all winning easily. After finishing 2005 unbeaten the New Zealand will be aiming for gold, with four women returning from the Manchester Games, and joined by debutante Temepara George known as the 'pocket rocket'. The Netball court is set for a series of fierce battles, with a fired-up New Zealand team aiming for a replay of the 2002 Final. The Malawi Commonwealth Games team, with strengths in Netball and Boxing, has left Malawi for Melbourne to acclimatise and commence final preparations for the Games. Fiji's Netball team has departed for Melbourne and for the first time it will have two captains at the helm. Australia has named a Netball team strong on international experience and youthful enthusiasm for the uphill battle to keep their perfect Commonwealth Games record intact. New Zealand has confirmed the twelve Netball players to compete in Melbourne, with coach Ruth Aitken retaining the side that comprehensively beat Australia, Jamaica and Barbados in recent weeks. Australia’s netballers have hit the court for an exhausting training program aimed at fielding the best possible team to defend their Games gold in March.