Fiji are a step closer to the knockout rounds after their second straight win at the Netball World Youth Cup in Botswana. <\/p>\n
The Baby Pearls thrashed Trinidad and Tobago 55-28 in their tournament opener and backed it up with a comprehensive 48-35 victory over Wales on Monday at the UB Indoor Sports Arena. <\/p>\n
Meanwhile the Cook Islands lost their second match against hosts Botswana as they continue to be hampered by a gastro bug that swept through the squad on their arrival in Gaborone. <\/p>\n
The Baby Black Pearls had let a five goal advantage slip in a 43-41 defeat by Jamaica at the weekend and led briefly this morning before the home side ran out 51-41 winners in front of a vocal home crowd. <\/p>\n
The Cook Islands squad pushed Jamaica close despite suffering from a gastro bug. Photo: Facebook \/ Netball Cook Islands <\/p>\n
Head coach John Glassie said nine of their 12 players have been hit with the bug, which has been lingering for more than a week. <\/p>\n
He said the team have moved accommodation in recent days, which has helped, and are monitoring closely what food the players are eating. <\/p>\n
\"It's still a bit there, a few of the players are still suffering from it but we've been trying to deal with it,\" he said. <\/p>\n
\"We ran out of medication after like four days so we've been going to the event doctors getting more medication every couple of days. <\/p>\n
\"So the girls are getting better but obviously not being able to hold your food down and that sort of thing does play a part in preparation so that's why these physical games are taking such a toll out of the players.\" <\/p>\n
Photo: Netball World Youth Cup <\/p>\n
While his team was far from 100 percent, John Glassie acknowledged the role played by the raucous home fans, who helped inspire their team to victory. <\/p>\n
\"With Botswana the major factor there would have been crowd and after seeing briefly the live footage it's hard to comprehend how loud the crowd actually is. <\/p>\n
\"Just being able to talk to the players and that sort of thing - we're trying to yell out during the breaks - and even talking to my assistant coach next to me we had to yell at each other because it was deafening.\" <\/p>\n
\"They had a great support from their home-based crowd and it really did make a difference. The girls said it was very hard to concentrate it was so loud, it was deafening at some stages.\" <\/p>\n
\"Botswana, they're actually used to that sort of cheering and that loud vocal support whereas our crowd wouldn't have played in anything quite as hostile or even half as loud as that - something we tried to plan for but it's very hard to adjust to that sort of thing.\" <\/p>\n
Meanwhile Samoa were thrashed 85-33 by defending champions New Zealand in their first match and Australia produced the most lopsided result to date, thumping Singapore 119-12. <\/p>\n
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Sport: Fiji netballers impress as illness bugs Cook Islands - Radio New Zealand<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Fiji are a step closer to the knockout rounds after their second straight win at the Netball World Youth Cup in Botswana. Continue reading