Held in SA for the first time, the showcase event has been a noisy success on the court, but the thrilling action has been slightly marred by a couple of off-court issues.
The first Netball World Cup hosted in Africa concluded on Sunday at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). The sporting action has been exhilarating. For the past 60 years, New Zealand and Australia have dominated the World Cup, winning every one of the last 15 titles. Trinidad and Tobago tied for first place with the two trans-Tasman teams in 1979. In that year there were no finals, with the top 10 teams playing off in a round robin instead.
But the gap between the two dominant island nations and the rest of the world has steadily closed.
Before this tournament, England had never beaten the Australian Diamonds in a World Cup. On 3 August, England edged the Aussies 56-55.
In 37 matches played between South Africa and New Zealand, New Zealand have beaten the Proteas on 36 occasions. South Africa's solitary win against them came all the way back in 1995. On 2 August, South Africa captured an improbable and incredible 48-48 draw against the reigning champions.
Upsets and underdog stories have made the tournament a wonderful advert for the global game. The vocal support in the 5,000-seat makeshift arena at the CTICC has played a massive role in...
