North West take down netball champs

DEFENDING champions Gauteng started the first day of the Spar National Netball Championships in convincing fashion with a 55-12 win over Annalie Lucas’ Western Cape at the Ugu Sports Complex.

The second game for Jenny van Dyk’s team, however, had the opposite outcome though as they went down to North West 36-26.

“It was an excellent day. I think we played very well. I tried different combinations and gave a lot of players a chance to play,” said North West coach Dorette Badenhorst.

Proteas and North West goal defender Kefiloe Tsotetsi was also impressed with her team’s performance after they won their first game against KZN A2 49-13.

Asked if she thinks her team will be playing in the final the 22year-old said: “Let’s wait until Thursday. But I do believe we are strong enough to get there.”

Badenhorst, who also coaches North West Flames in the Brutal Fruit Premier League, said she was happy with the new format of the championships.

“It’s great having the provinces here. It’s a new opportunity be- cause it gives the smaller regions a chance to play in the A Section,” she said.

“The biggest problem is that some of the teams are far from each other. For example, East London and Port Elizabeth. It is difficult to get those players to train together as a team. For us it’s much easier.”

Meanwhile, the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) – which was formed by the government to help with transformation in netball – told Netball South Africa (NSA) that the 12-member national side must consist of six players of colour by 2018.