The Eastern Cape Aloes gave the defending champions, the Free State Crinums, a run for their money in their Brutal Fruit Netball Premier League match at the Ellis Park Indoor Arena.
Although the Crinums won the match by 52 goals to 42, the Aloes kept pace with them for the first three-quarters, and it was only the Crinums’ superior fitness and experience that pulled them through. After the first quarter, the Crinums led 11–9, but the Aloes drew level at 16–all halfway through the second quarter, which ended 21–all.
The turning point in the game came just before the end of the third quarter when Aloes’ defence player Nobubele Phuza was sent off for two minutes and Crinums scored four goals in that period.
The Crinums were 37–33 ahead at the end of the third quarter. In the final quarter, the Aloes ran out of steam, although they continued to play their hearts out.
Aloes centre, Arne Rust, had a superb game, marshalling her team and turning over balls against Protea centre, Lauren-Lee Christian. “I’m immensely proud of the girls,” said Aloes coach Des Neville.
“It was good to see them fight right to the end. I think if Nobu [Phuza] had been sent off earlier, they would have been able to overcome the deficit, but they were on their last legs. I didn’t make any changes because I thought they all deserved to stay on the court.”
Proteas and Crinums captain Maryke Holtzhausen, who was player of the match, praised the Aloes for the way they played. “We’ve seen them grow through the tournament, and they gave us a really competitive match,” she said.
Crinums coach Burta de Kock is ill and her assistant, Dineo Lentoa, said it had been a very physical game, but in the end, the Crinums’ fitness and mental strength had pulled them through.
Results from the Ellis Park Indoor Arena, Johannesburg:
6 May
- Southern Stings 60, Eastern Cape Aloes 38
- Golden Fireballs 52, Gauteng Jaquars 58
7 May
- North West Flames 79, Limpopo Baobabs 28
- Eastern Cape Aloes 42, Free State Crinums 52
- Golden Fireballs 64, MP Sunbirds 32.
