SA star named player of the Netball World Cup

The good news came after the team lost its third-placed playoff against hosts England on Sunday.

The East London born player was honoured during the medal ceremony in front of a packed M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool on Sunday after the Australia-New Zealand final.

"I felt very honoured and grateful and it's been a great journey for us as a team. Although the last game wasn't what we wanted it to be this is some sort of highlight.

"A massive thanks to the team. You're only as good as people you surround yourself with.

Pretorius says reaching the semi-final was "mission completed" for the team.

"I think overall I won't say was let down. Our aim was to go to the top 4 so it was mission completed for us. Obviously, we did want a medal but we are happy with the fourth place we got."

The last South African to win the same award was Erin Burger - who ironically was the touring roommate of Pretorius - at the 2011 Netball World Cup in Singapore.