Tactical battle for Sunbirds against Jaguars
The encounter between the Mpumalanga Sunbirds and the Eastern Cape Aloes in the Brutal Fruit Netball Premier League ended in a thrilling 38-all draw.
It was always going to be an exciting match, with both teams desperate for a win.
The Sunbirds won the first quarter 9-12, but the Aloes came back strong in the second quarter, which they won 11-5, to go into the second half with a 20-17 lead. The Sunbirds played with renewed energy in the third, to win it by 11 goals to seven.
The final quarter was frenetic, with the ball swinging from end to end. The Aloes crept into a three-goal lead, but the Sunbirds responded with vigor. The Aloes had the ball in their circle when the final whistle went, and although the Aloes won the quarter 11-10, the match ended in a draw.
“They performed quite well today, but we’re playing eight minutes a quarter and letting things go for the last seven minutes. On a positive note, some of our combinations are beginning to gel and what we need to focus on now is maintaining possession. It’s never nice to draw, but the players are feeling much more positive now,” said Sunbirds coach Marlie Nel.
In the Sunbirds’ first match of the weekend, the Gauteng Jaguars made light work, beating them by 58 goals to 19, after leading 23-8 at half-time.
The Jaguars took complete control of the match in the third quarter, with a flurry of unanswered goals.
The defenders on both sides were outstanding, with a number of turnovers, but the unbeaten defending champions were just too good for the Sunbirds.
“We started better than usual,” said Nel.
“Usually we are quite tentative at the start, but we were better this time. Our third quarter was a disaster and the Jaguars got right away from us.”
