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Ellina Mhlanga

Senior Sports Reporter

PREMIER Netball League leaders Ngezi Platinum Queens are looking at continuing with their winning streak when they take to the court at Stodart Netball Complex, Mbare, in Harare today.

The league enters round three of matches with some promising encounters lined up for the day following an extended break because of the Easter holidays.

Ngezi Platinum is occupying the top spot, with 14 points from 7 games. They are yet to lose a game.

They take on GreenFuel, Beitbridge Border Queens, Rhinos and Zupco.

It is their encounter against GreenFuel that is likely to be the highlight of the day. The Chisumbanje-based side has had a positive start as well, picking maximum points in all the six games they have played so far. They are placed fourth on the long table.

Ngezi Platinum assistant coach Paidamoyo Pedzisayi said they are looking forward to the games and will take it one game at a time.

“Definitely it’s something that we are looking forward to despite the two-weeks break we had. I think we are prepared enough for tomorrow’s battle. Our girls are all geared up, we don’t have any issues, any injury worries.

“We are going to take each game as it comes. There are no push overs in this league. So we just take every battle as it comes, that’s how we go about it.

“We can’t judge our opponents from last year’s performance…We just have to play our normal game. But our main goal is to win all the matches,” said Pedzisayi.

One of their big moments so far has been their victory against reigning champions Platinum Queens, who had gone for two consecutive seasons without losing a game in the PNL.

“It was actually a huge motivation, especially having overcame reigning champions Platinum. But we won’t get carried away, we just need to focus, take each game as it comes because our ultimate goal is to win all the games.

“So we are trying as much as possible to adequately prepare for each and every bubble.

“The league is still in its infancy, so we just want to win each game as it comes and then we can judge, maybe mid-season, that’s when we can see where we are going through the results that will be coming,” said Pedzisayi.

Meanwhile the league has moved all Platinum Queens’ games that were set for today following the death of their player Sibekezelo Ncube on Thursday.

The club announced the passing of Ncube on their Facebook page on Thursday.

“A dark cloud covers us today. The Platinum Queens Netball Club announces, with a very heavy heart, the unbearable loss of one of our own, Sibekezelo Ncube. Our beloved sister passed on this afternoon.

“We implore that the family’s privacy is respected during this very difficult time. More information will follow in due course.

“Our prayers are with the Ncube family, her teammates as well as the entire netball and sporting family. May her dear soul rest in eternal peace,” reads part of the statement by the club.

PNL secretary general Liberty Mhizha confirmed the changes to the fixture and said they feel robbed losing a promising player.

“By general standard we excuse any bereaving team from participating in games especially before burial of their own player. So for this weekend Platinum Queens will not be part and parcel of the bubble. The bubble will go ahead minus Platinum.

“As a league we really feel robbed because she was a very young player whom we were anticipating someday will do wonders for the country. She had a very bright future, sad to say that fate decided otherwise. We can’t do anything about it but we just have to sympathise and mourn with the family and the club, and the nation at large,” said Mhizha.

The games were initially scheduled for Beitbridge before they were moved to Harare due to logistics challenges.

Fixtures

Today

ZDF Queens vs Harare City, ZDF Queens vs Zupco, GreenFuel vs Ngezi Platinum, GreenFuel vs Rhinos, GreenFuel vs Mutare City, Mutare City vs Zupco, GreenFuel vs Harare District, Ngezi Platinum vs Beitbridge Border Queens, Ngezi Platinum vs Rhinos, Ngezi Platinum vs Zupco, Beitbridge Border Queens vs Harare City, Harare City vs Harare District, Harare City vs Zupco, Beitbridge Border Queens vs Rhinos, Beitbridge Border Queens vs Mutare City, Beitbridge Border Queens vs Harare District, Harare District vs Zupco.