Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
IT could not have come at a better time than the Women’s Month of March!
The Rainbow Netball League (RANL) 2025 is upon us.
To that end, the Manicaland-based netball trio of – Santa Queens, GreenFuel and Tenax — finally played their first bubble for the 20205 season at Chisumbanje last Saturday, having been postponed the previous week.
The postponement could have had an effect on the momentum which the bubble could have gained, but all the same last Saturday’s netball action lived up to its billing as appetite was even higher for every team, player and fan.
The RANL, which seeks to empower young women to chase their goals and achieve their full potential through sport, has affiliates across the country from Hwange to Mutare.
And in Chisumbanje last Saturday, it was indeed a battle of technical expertise of the three coaches, Nicole Muzanenamo in the ethanol producers, GreenFuel corner, Chido Nenhunzi for correctional services side, Tenax and Unite “Mai Bona” Chitombo for the flamboyant Santa Queens.
Santa Queens opened their account with an impressive 45-34 triumph over Tenax, with their goal-scorer, Marjory Marumirofa scooping the golden hand award for that match, while Santa Queens’ Linda Kashongo was named the best player of the encounter.
Giants of the bubble, GreenFuel went on to dismiss Tenax 48-32.
Nicole Muzanenhamo was the golden hand winner after scoring 23 of their 48 scores, while wing attack, Lynette Dhliwayo of GreenFuel was named the best player of the encounter.
The ethanol producers of Chisumbanje sealed their dominance of the bubble with an emphatic 64-37 victory over Santa Queens in a match which saw exceptionally talented Muzanenhamo, making a meal of the opponents defence.
Accordingly, the GreenFuel goal attack Muzanenhamo was named the best player of the encounter, and also duly scooped the golden hand award after scoring 40 times.
After the Chisumbanje bubble, GreenFuel, who won their two matches, were left on sixth position on the 21-team log standings, while Santa Queens are on 11th position with two points.
The Mutare prison wardens are the only Manicaland-based team yet to win a single match, lying on the 16th position with a point to show for their journey to Chiumbanje.
Coming into this weekend’s bubbles, Tenax will be out to redeem lost pride when they partake in the Mucheke Masvingo bubble — a uniformed forces affair — where they will lock horns with ZRP Masvingo and ZRP Bulawayo.
Santa Queens will make the long trip to Hwange for their bubble against Hwange Hyda and Khami.
Chiremba Grounds in Ruwa will host to a bubble featuring Ruwa, Flow Angels and Green Fuel.
Elsewhere in the RANL, fireworks are expected when defending champions Correctional Queens, Glow Petroleum and JT Highflyers clash.
Correctional Queens and Glow Petroleum are two of the most feared teams in the league.
