The Free State Crinums booked their spot in the quarter-final stage of the Brutal Fruit Netball Premier League (BFNPL) with a resounding 76-11 win over the Northern Cape Diamonds on Friday night.
The final round of the group stage of the competition is being played in the Mangaung Indoor Complex in Bloemfontein.
Playing in front of a packed pavilion it was important for the home team, winners of the first three editions of the BFNPL, to impress and to put the final building blocks in place before the knockout stage next weekend. That they certainly did and coach Burta de Kock would in particular be satisfied with the team’s defence, only allowing 11 goals throw the net – the second fewest in the competition’s history.
Wing defence Khomotso Mamburu and goal defence Tanya Mostert played a prominent role in turning over position for their team. Mostert, who later moved to centre, was named player of the match, her second in three matches.
It was the Crinums biggest win and the most goals they have scored to date in the BFNPL history.
The hopeless Diamonds, who conceded an 8th consecutive loss, only managed a single goal in the final quarter, conceding 24.
The Crinums will end the round robin stage in fifth spot. They will face the team who ends fourth on the log next weekend in the City of Roses. There opponents will only be known when the final match takes place this Sunday.
Also on Friday evening the KwaZulu-Natal Kingdom Stars recorded their first win of the series. They got the better of the Mpumalanga Sunbirds, winning by 44-36. It wasn’t always smooth running for the Stars and at one stage in the third quarter only led by four goals.
The veteran Protea, Precious Mthembu was the standout player. She played two quarter at goal defence before moving to her more fancied position of wing defence for the last 30 minutes.
