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Ellina Mhlanga
Senior Sports Reporter
NGEZI Platinum Queens seem to have hit the right note in the Premier Netball League as they continued with their winning ways in matches played at Stodart Netball Complex, Mbare, in Harare over the weekend.
It was the third round of matches and they lived up to their expectations when they convincingly overcame Rhinos, Redwing and Zupco.
Ngezi Platinum beat Rhinos 33-14 before outclassing Redwing 64-7. They went on to dismiss Zupco 60-10 in their last match of the day.
They are yet to lose a game in the league and coach Tapiwa Chirenda, who joined the club at the beginning of season is pleased with the progress his side is making.
“I think maybe to start with, it was just a matter of changing the mentality of the players. The way they were looking at the game then and the way they are looking at it now is different.
“We introduced a lot of new concepts on the defensive and offensive side. All I can say, the wins are a plus but I can say when they (players) finally master all the concepts, we will be way above.
“I am defensively oriented as a coach, even on the log we are the team that has conceded the least goals. So the defensive approach seems to be working.
“On the offensive we have introduced a lot of set-play, we have got four that we are using when attacking and its actually working wonders because we have been scoring,” said Chirenda.
Chirenda, who is one of the Gems assistant coaches has been in camp with the national team for the past month and he paid tribute to his assistant Paidamoyo Pedzisayi for a job well done in his absence prior to the weekend’s games.
“Basically I think my assistant did a good job. We were communicating, she was implementing the stuff we were discussing online and it actually paid off.”
“I think the standard of netball is growing by every bubble, for every team. Generally, it is improving a lot despite the fact that we are winning a lot, there are positive changes.
“For us Rhinos was the outstanding game . . . we came into the game knowing they were quite dangerous.
“But we got a chance to introduce some of our new player, Marian Chiwawa, the goal keeper, she had an outstanding performance and Pretty Chatadza also had a stellar performance in that game together with the veterans,” said Chirenda.
Their games against Beitbridge Border Queens and GreenFuel were cancelled as the two clubs asked to be excused.
PNL secretary-general Liberty Mhizha said they were attending the funeral of Platinum Queens player Sibekezelo Ncube, who died last Thursday.
“Those are the only matches that we played on this bubble. GreenFuel and Beitbridge requested to be excused due to the close ties their players and coaches had to S’beke.
“So they were attending the funeral in Bulawayo, which accounted for 12 games, which had to be played on this day had the unfortunate incident not happened. A decision will be reached by end of day tomorrow as to when the games will be played,” said Mhizha.
In other matches of the day ZDF Queens were also on fire as they dismissed Zupco 55-11. They defeated Harare City Queens 39-19 and Redwing 54-18 to collect maximum points.
Results
Mutare City 17, Harare City 34; Ngezi Platinum Queens 33, Rhinos 14; Mutare City 38, Zupco 14, Harare City 26, Harare District 18; ZDF Queens 55, Zupco 11; Harare City 38, Redwing 20; Ngezi Platinum 64, Redwing 7; Harare District 33, Zupco 24; ZDF Queens 39 Harare City 19; Ngezi Platinum Queens 60, Zupco 10; ZDF Queens 54, Redwing 18.
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