adminMzingaye Sibanda Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO Province Netball League champions Ntutu Sparrows beat ZRP Bulawayo 12-9 to win the opening tournament of the season held at Raylton Sports Club on Saturday.Buoyant Sparrows maintained their fine form that saw them only losing one game to Railstars last season.
Over 18 teams took part in the event with primary schools also in action.
Mgoqo, Nkanyezi and Josiah Chinamano were the primary schools that tested club competition. Visiting clubs from outside Bulawayo included Blanket Mine from Gwanda, Golden Girls and Zimra.
Ntutu Sparrows topped their group beating Inkanyezi 12-9, Blanket Mine 25-6 and Amhlophe Secondary School 19-5.
Zimbabwe Netball Association (ZINA) Super League returnees ZRP Bulawayo beat Mgoqo 28-3 and Lobengula Queens 25-5, Nothlea High School 19-0 and Nkulumane 33-3 in the group stages.
In the semi-finals Sparrows proved too good for ZRP Ntabazinduna winning 14-3 while Police outfit ZRP Bulawayo eased past Free Stars beating them 17-11.
Ntutu Sparrows coach Precious Mudenge said their win over the Super League returnees was a morale booster ahead of the commencement of this year’s campaign.
“It was a great start for us. We managed to beat ZRP who have all the experience. It shows that we are in the right direction ahead of the new season,” said Mudenge.
Mudenge praised the participation of schools in the tournament and the level of competition they exhibited.
“It was exciting watching schools playing against big clubs and even the level of competition was high as Northlea High School and Nkulumane Club were defeated by Mqoqo Primary School,” said Mudenge.
The league is expected to start next week, as the tournament was a way of testing the waters.
Pool A
Ntutu Sparrows 12- 2 Inkanyezi Primary School, Inkanyezi Primary 4- 7 Amhlophe Secondary School, Amhlophe Secondary School 10-7 Blanket Mine, Blanket Mine 16- 6 Inkanyezi Primary School, Ntutu Sparrows 19-5 Amhlophe Secondary School, Ntutu Sparrows 25- 6 Blanket Mine
Pool B
ZRP Byo 28-3 Mgoqo Primary, ZRP Byo 25-5 Lobengula Queens, ZRP Byo 19-0 Northlea, ZRP Byo 33-3 Nkulumane, Mgoqo 11-10 Northlea, Mgoqo Primary 6-21 Lobengula Queens, Mgoqo Primary 14-10 Nkulumane, Northlea 1-23 Lobengula, Lobengula Queens 31- 3 Nkulumane
Pool C
ZRP Ntabazinduna 19-1 Josiah Chinamano, ZRP Ntabazinduna 12- 6 Sobukazi, ZRP Ntabazinduna 11-7 Zimpost , Zimpost 7-6 Sobukazi, Zimpost 20-1 Josiah Chinamano, Sobukazi 12-5 Josiah Chinamano
Pool D
Free Stars 11-9 Fairbridge, Free Stars 16 -6 Gwabalanda, Free Stars 20 2 Golden Girls, Free Stars 29-6 Old Nic, Unit Fairbridge 16-3 Old Nic, Unit Fairbridge 19-5 Golden Girls, Old Nic 1-17 Gwabalanda, Gwabalanda 10-1 Golden Girls
Semi-finals
Ntutu Sparrows 14-3 ZRP Ntabazinduna, Free Stars 11-17 ZRP Bulawayo
Final
Ntutu Sparrows 12-9 ZRP Bulawayo
Online Reporter