Premier Netball League gets down to business

THE newly- created Premier Netball League gets down to business when 20 teams converge in Bulawayo tomorrow, at the White City Stadium, for a Cup tournament.

The top- tier professional league was launched this month and was endorsed by Zimbabwe Netball Association.

All the 18 clubs, affiliated with the league, will take to the courts, for the first time, this year.

Two Bulawayo Select clubs have been invited and will play their preliminaries at Girls College, and Raylton Sports Club, with main games scheduled for the White City.

Gold Reef, Harare City, Bulawayo Stars, University of Zimbabwe, Masvingo City Stars, and Zimbabwe Defence Forces are in Pool A.

Pool B has Correctional, Mutare, Blue Angels Queens, Lupane, Waterfalls, and Gweru Queens.

Ngezi headline Pool C, which also has Green Fuel, Bulawayo Queens, BTTC, Mupandawana, and Mashonaland Central.

Pool D has Platinum, Rhinos, Harare District, Chinhoyi University, Masvingo Pirates and Blanket Mine.

PNL secretary- general, Liberty Mhizha, said although they were still to decide on the prize money, the winning teams will be rewarded well.

“We will start with the screening process in the morning where we will conduct Covid- 19 tests,’’ he said.

“We will have the preliminary rounds, at other venues, that is Girls College and Raylton Sports Club but White City is our main arena.

“We hope to finish our competition by end of the day.

“We are still working on the finer details of the prize money but all those teams, which excel, will be rewarded.

“The clubs that finish in the top 10 will get Gilbert balls.’’

Mhizha said the tournament will present national team selectors with an opportunity to check on fresh talent.

“We are taking it as an opportunity for national selectors to scout for talent,’’ he said.

“So, with i nternational games around the corner, this a perfect platform to bring t alent to t he fore, which becomes easier for the selectors, who missed a lot of games, during the lockdown.’’

Mhizha said plans were still on, to have the top- flight league start, this year.

“A decision will be made by the board of governors, who are the club chairpersons, on the way forward.

“We will play the league this year in a bubble format.’’

ZINA will no longer be running the Super League, as the PNL comes in, as the professional league, in the country.