AMAQEMBU aKwaZulu-Natal, iKingdom Queens neKingdom Stars, ayivule kahle isizini ka-2023 yeTelkom Netball League njengoba womabili eyinqobile imidlalo yawo eNgoako Ramatlhodi Sports Complex eSeshego, eLimpopo, ngoLwesithathu.
Iqembu elidlala esigabeni sesibili, iKingdom Queens, lithele phansi omakoti iFree State Sonoblomo ngo-42-38.
ISonoblomo iyona ewuqale kahle umdlalo yasheshe yahamba phambili ngo-6-1 kodwa kuphele ikota yokuqala sezibambene ngo-8-8.
Kusukela lapho, iQueens ibisihamba phambili sesibonakala isipiliyoni sikaThulisile Nhleko, obekwazi ukuphuma ayolanda amabhola ngaphandle aphinde ahlohle amagoli. Lo mdlali owake wagijima eqenjini eliphezulu, iKingdom Stars, ugcine eqokwe njengovelele kulo mdlalo.
Umqeqeshi weQueens, uMagda du Plessis uncome abadlali ngokulandela izinguquko azenzile futhi ulindele ukuthi iqembu liqhubeke nokuthuthuka emidlalweni ezayo.
"Ngijabule kakhulu ngokuphinde ngithole ithuba lokuqeqesha leli qembu. Sinabadlali abaningi abasebancane kodwa ngiyethemba ukuthi ngizokwazi ukubasiza bakhuphukele kwelinye izinga," kusho uDu Plessis.
"Asiwuqalanga kahle umdlalo kodwa sikwazile ukushintsha indlela ebesidlala ngayo, sazama nabanye abadlali ezindaweni ezehlukene. Bekuvele kuyinhloso yami ukuthi umdlali ngamunye akwazi ukudlala ezindaweni ezimbili noma ezintathu ngoba kuzosisiza lokho kweminye imidlalo.
"Sisazoqhubeka sisebenze kwanzima ngoba sisazobhekana nezinye izinselelo emidlalweni ezayo."
IStars iguqise i-Eastern Cape Aloes eqalayo ukudlala esigabeni esiphezulu kulo nyaka, ngo-41-32.
I-Aloes ikhushulelwe kuDivision 1 ngemuva kokudla isicoco sikaDivision 2 ngesizini edlule, yaphinde yanqoba iStars kowokuhlunga. Nokho iqembu laseKZN alibanga lisehliselwa esigabeni esiphansi ngenxa yokuthi kufakwe amaqembu amabili amasha.
La maqembu abelandelana eduze kumakota amabili okuqala, iStars yaqala yavula igebe kweyesithathu, yahamba nawo umdlalo. Bekugqame kakhulu umdlali wasemuva, uThulisile Maduna, oqokwe njengomdlali ovelele, nabebambisene naye, uNozipho Ntshangase, abebewahlwitha bephindelela amabhola kubagadli be-Aloes.
"Umdlalo ubungelula ngenxa yokuthi i-Aloes ilwe kwaze kwaba sekugcineni. Siyihlaziyile indlela edlale ngayo ngesizini edlule sabona lapho kufanele siyihlasele ngakhona. Kuhle ukuthi siwunqobile umdlalo wokuqala kodwa namaphutha abemaningi,” kusho umqeqeshi weStars, uPrecious Mthembu.
“Kusizile ukuthi sikhuphule izinga kwikota yesithathu, nokujwayele ukuthi kube iyona ecacisa ukuthi umdlalo uzobheka ngakuphi. Abadlali bethu basemuva benze kahle kakhulu kodwa kusamele silungise phambili ngoba bekumele sinqobe ngembudlu yamagoli.”
IStars izobhekana neSouthern Stings yaseWestern Cape ngoLwesihlanu ngo-10, idudulane neGauteng Fireballs ngoMgqibelo ngo-8 ekuseni, bese ivala lo mzuliswano wokuqala neFree State Crinums ngeSonto ngo-10 ekuseni.
IQueens izobuyela enkundleni ngoMgqibelo ngo-2 ntambama, ukuyobhekana neNorth West Diamonds, itholane phezulu neMpumalanga Sunbirds ngeSonto ngo-8 ekuseni, ivale neLimpopo Baobabs ngoMsombuluko ngo-8 ekuseni.