XOLILE MPISANE
AMAQEMBU aKwaZulu-Natal, iKingdom Queens neKingdom Stars, ayiqale kabi isizini ka-2022 yeTelkom Netball League ngoLwesithathu, ngesikhathi ebhaxabulwa emidlalweni yawo yokuvula ebise-Olive Convention Centre, eThekwini.
Iqembu elincane, iQueens, lingene kuqala ekuseni enkundleni latholana phezulu ne-Eastern Cape Aloes.
Izivakashi bezingabambeki kwikota yokuqala, zasheshe zahamba phambili ngamaphuzu angu-11. Izamile ukubuya iQueens, kwayiwa ekhefini i-Aloes ihamba phambili ngo 21-15.
Womabili amaqembu awulwele umdlalo ngekota yesithathu neyesine kodwa i-Aloes igcine iwuthathe ngomzuzu wokugcina ngokushaya amagoli amabili, ayenze yanqoba ngo 40-38.
Umqeqeshi weQueens, uPrecious Mthembu, uthe ukuthandile akubonile eqenjini lakhe emdlalweni wokuqala futhi ulindele ukuthi liwakhuphule amasokisi emidlalweni ezayo.
“Sidlale kahle, ikakhulu indlela esibuye ngayo sesisele ngamagoli amaningi. Isiqalo sethu besithe ukuntengantenga kodwa sizobuyela emuva siyozama ukuthola ukuthi yini esenze saqala kabi kanjena,” kuchaza uMthembu.
“Inhloso yethu kule sizini wukuzimisela futhi singahlulwa ngamagoli amaningi. Sinenqwaba yabadlali abancane abadlala kwiTelkom League okokuqala ngqa.
“Iningi labo lisanda kuqeda isikole futhi sinabadlali ababili abasesesikoleni. Kuyakhuthaza ukuthi siqhudelane neqembu elinamava njenge-Aloes futhi elingompetha. Lo mdlalo wokuqala unginike ithemba futhi ngiyakubona engizosebenzela phezu kwakho."
Iqembu elikhulu, iKingdom Stars, liqale kangcono kuneQueens emdlalweni walo nompetha, iJaguars yaseGauteng, njengoba amaqembu ebebambene ngo 11-11 ngemuva kwekota yokuqala.
IJaguars ikhombise izinga layo emakoteni amathathu okugcina, umdlalo awuthatha ngo 50-35.
Ngemuva kokuqeda endaweni yesithathu esigabeni esiphezulu nyakenye, umqeqeshi weStars, uMarguerite Rootman, uthe bazobhekana nenselelo ehlukile kulo nyaka.
"Lo nyaka uhluke kakhulu kunonyaka odlule. Senze kahle ngodlule kodwa kumele sikhumbule ukuthi abadlali bamaProteas bebengekho kodwa manje sebebuyile," kusho Rootman.
"Noma kunjalo ngicabanga ukuthi iqembu lami lingakwazi ukulwa. Sinesipiliyoni esanele futhi sizothuthuka uma sibambisana. Nginesiqiniseko sokuthi kuningi esingakwenza ngoba nginabantu abahlakaniphile, abadlali abadlala i-netball ekhaliphile."
IQueens izobuyela enkundleni ngoLwesine ngo-6 ntambama, izobhekana neTornados yaseWestern Cape. Imidlalo izoqala ngo-10 ekuseni lapho iSouthern Stings izotholana phezulu neFree State Crinums. IStars izobuya ngoLwesihlanu izodlala neCrinums ngo-10 ekuseni.