Kingdom Stars-Crinums match a damp squib
JOBURG - Defending champions Free State Crinums have one of the easiest walks in the park over Kingdom Stars.
The much-anticipated netball encounter between defending champions of the Brutal Fruit Netball Premier League, Free State Crinums, and Kingdom Stars turned out to be a damp squib, with the champions defeating the KwaZulu-Natal team by 45 goals to 25.
The match was very physical and somewhat scrappy, but the Crinums were in control throughout. Stars, who have four Proteas in their line-up appeared disorganised and without a plan and their coach, Marchelle Maroun, said she was disappointed.
“I didn’t expect us to underperform,” she said. “The players weren’t finding each other and they didn’t gel.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game. But the Crinums have more BMT [big match temperament] than we have – we have to learn how to win those tough matches.”
The player of the match, 21-year-old Alicia Puren of Crinums said the team had carried out the plans worked out for them by their coach, Burta de Kock, who had been admitted to hospital in Bloemfontein. “We were playing for her, and to show that we were able to do what she wants us to do,” she said.
Assistant coach Dineo Lentoa, said she was proud of the way the team had responded. “They stuck to the game plan and did exactly what we wanted them to do.” She added that she was not surprised by the margin of victory, as she had played her top players because she knew Stars was a fast and very physical team.
The last round robin matches will be played next weekend, with teams jockeying for positions in the quarterfinals.
Results at the Ellis Park Indoor Arena, Johannesburg:
8 May
North West Flames 82, Northern Cape Diamonds 21
Free State Crinums 45, Kingdom Stars 25.
