Fireballs torch Kingdom Stars
Coach unhappy despite fightback
At 6-0 down to the KZN Kingdom Stars after only a few minutes of her side’s Brutal Fruit Netball Premier League match at Ellis Park Indoor Arena in Joburg yesterday, the Gauteng Fireballs’ Dorette Badenhorst was not a happy coach.
The Fireballs played themselves back into contention, eventually leading 17-15 at the half-time break and then opening up a significant cushion in the final quarter for a 3931 win.
It’s their third win from four matches in the competition so far but Badenhorst is still not happy.
“We’re still not playing good netball, we still need to arrive,” she admitted after the game.
Stars coach Madri Maritz was far from disappointed with her team after their second loss of the weekend.
“I need to commend my players. They came out really hard and never stopped fighting. They played their hearts out in every single quarter. To lose and know they’ve played their hearts out – I’m very proud of them,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Northern Cape Diamonds once again struggled, plummeting to their fourth consecutive heavy loss of the tournament so far, this time against the Free State Crinums, who are yet to lose a game.
Coach Burta de Kock’s side handed their coach the perfect birthday present with a 76-23 victory.
“I’m very happy because I could use all 12 players and different combinations to find out what’s working and what we can still work on for the week ahead,” said De Kock.
In the final game of the weekend, the North West Flames claimed an emphatic 62-24 win over the Eastern Cape Aloes, who are yet to record a victory in the tournament.
At the end of round two of the Premier League, the Crinums and Jaguars are the only two unbeaten teams so far, with the Jaguars currently topping the log on marginally better goal difference.
Action continues next weekend at the Rembrandt Hall in Pretoria, starting on Friday with the Jaguars and the Mpumalanga Sunbirds facing off at 4pm. ●