dyton mupawaenda
Ellina Mhlanga-Senior Sports Reporter
AS the curtain comes down on the Nedbank Premier Netball League this weekend, second-placed GreenFuel are fancying their chances of claiming the title.
The final games are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at White City Stadium in Bulawayo.
The championship race is now between log Leaders Platinum Queens, who are also the defending champions and GreenFuel.
Platinum Queens are leading the race with 66 points from 34 matches having lost just one.
On the other hand, GreenFuel are second on the log table with 60 points from 31 games and have also lost one game. But they have two outstanding games, going into the final bubble set for Saturday and Sunday.
They are also going to play Platinum Queens in their return fixture and the game is likely to be key in determining the champions for 2023.
If GreenFuel win all their remaining games including against Platinum Queens, they win the title.
However, it is not going to be an easy task as Platinum Queens made it clear from the beginning of the season, they are chasing their third consecutive title.
The defending champions also have another tricky encounter against Ngezi Platinum Queens, who beat them in the first round of the season. But they will also be out to give their best to ensure they retain the title. In the other game they will take on Expandable.
GreenFuel coach Sibonginkosi Dube believes it is going to be a battle of the minds considering what is at stake.
“The weekend games are going to be more of the battle of the mind than the physical battle. So we are concentrating more on that aspect of the game.
“We are treating it like any other game we have played before, with serious intent and purpose. Whoever wins that game would have by default also won the league,” said Dube.
Platinum Queens emerged winners in their first meeting.
“Everything hangs in the balance. We are not the same team that played Platinum in the first leg, we have evolved. But point to note is that Platinum has equally grown. So the dice can fall either way.”
GreenFuel will also face Rhinos, Beitbridge Border, Filchrist Boarding, Filchrist ZJC, Waterfalls and Stormers.
Dube urged her charges to give their best as the curtain comes down on the 2023 season.
“We absolutely have no point to prove. We step on court, do serious business and lose or win with dignity. But the most critical thing is to have fun in the process. And that second best is not good enough if we didn’t give it our best.
“Most of the teams we face this weekend, we have to approach with caution,” said Dube.
Third-placed Ngezi Platinum Queens coach Tapiwa Chirenda said they want to finish strong although they are out of the championship race.
“We started off training for this week well knowing we have six teams to play against including the defending champions. We were the only team to beat them so far this season and we kind of upset the status quo.
“But we failed to maintain the run and momentum we built up for the first half but considering it’s my first rodeo with the blue platinum girls I am still impressed that we might finish off with a medal after all, which was my main target this season.
“I have reiterated to my players that we are out of the championship race but we will still finish off strong to benchmark where we will start off from next season all things being equal,” said Chirenda.
Fixture
Mutare City vs Harare District, Platinum Queens vs GreenFuel, Platinum Queens vs Expandable, Platinum Queens vs Ngezi Platinum Queens, ZDF Queens vs Filchrist Boarding, ZDF Queens vs Filchrist ZJC, ZDF Queens vs Harare District, ZDF Queens vs Waterfalls, ZDF Queens vs Mvurwi, GreenFuel vs Rhinos, GreenFuel vs Beitbridge Border, GreenFuel vs Filchrist Boarding, GreenFuel vs Filchrist ZJC, GreenFuel vs Waterfalls, GreenFuel vs Stormers, Ngezi Platinum Queens vs Marondera, Ngezi Platinum Queens vs Expandable, Ngezi Platinum Queens vs Redwing, Ngezi Platinum Queens vs Lupane, Ngezi Platinum Queens vs City Angels, Harare City vs Beitbridge Border, Harare City vs Filchrist ZJC, Harare City vs Marondera, Harare City vs Mutare City, Harare City vs Lupane, Harare City vs ZUPCO, Harare City vs Waterfalls, Rhinos vs Beitbridge Border, Rhinos vs Marondera, Rhinos vs Lupane, Rhinos vs Redwing, Beitbridge Border vs Marondera, Beitbridge Border vs Stormers, Beitbridge Border vs Expandable, Beitbridge Border vs Harare District, Beitbridge Border vs City Angels, Mutare City vs Filchrist Boarding, Filchrist Boarding vs Expandable, Filchrist Boarding vs Lupane, Filchrist Boarding vs Redwing, Filchrist ZJC vs Expandable, Filchrist ZJC vs Lupane, Filchrist ZJC vs City Angels, Marondera vs Stormers, Marondera vs Harare District, Marondera vs Mvurwi, Mutare City vs Lupane, Mutare City vs City Angels, Stormers vs Lupane, Stormers vs ZUPCO, Harare District vs ZUPCO, Harare District vs Waterfalls, Redwing vs Waterfalls, Redwing vs Mvurwi, ZUPCO vs Waterfalls.
Online Reporter