The Telkom Netball League (TNL) kicked off at the Sun City SuperBowl near Rustenburg, marking the official start of South Africa’s most anticipated netball showcase.
Defending champions, Free State Crinums, started where they left off last season, with a sterling performance by defeating the SPAR Baby Proteas 58-46.
The Crinums demonstrated clinical execution on both attack and defence, pulling away steadily after a competitive first half to secure a comfortable victory.
“It was a good game considering that this game was against the SPAR Baby Proteas. They were busy working hard, having lots of camps and we can’t go there undermining them,” said Crinums Coach Martha Mosoahle-Samm.
Despite the loss, SPAR Baby Proteas Coach Precious Mthembu was happy with the team’s debut performance in the TNL.
“To start against the TNL Champs which is good, you are raising the standard and raising the bar.
The girls put up some good knocks on the field, it has got to be physical, but they were able to stand up and stand their ground,” said Mthembu.
In another intense match, host team, the North West Flames clashed with the Zambezi Eagles from Zimbabwe, securing a hard-fought 51-46 win.
Despite the Eagles relentless efforts, the Flames held their nerve in the dying minutes to clinch the victory.
“It was a hard game, a very physical game.
I think the team really did well because I threw in a lot of different combinations, and I made a lot of different changes,” remarked the Flames coach, Elsunet du Plessis.
Meanwhile, the Golden Fireballs produced a dominant display against the Limpopo Baobabs, claiming a commanding 71-35 victory.
In other results, Mpumalanga Sunbirds 52-45 Free State Sonoblomo, Tornados 54-33 Northern Cape Diamonds,
Kingdom Queens 47-36 Kingdom Stars, and Southern Stings 62-34 Eastern Cape Aloes.
