Teams excited with Rainbow Paints tourney
Blantyre and Districts Netball League (BDNL) teams say they are excited with the launch of the K1 million (about $3 334) Rainbow Paints Top Six Series.
They say the tournament, which was launched on Thursday at the Blantyre Youth Centre, will keep them active and competitive during the current OG League first-round break.
Escom Sisters defender Caroline Ngwira said the competition is very attractive as it involves few games while the perks are high.
“Just imagine getting K200 000 [about $666] by playing just four games that is a lot. In some competitions you play a lot of games, but the returns are not that much.
“As Escom we are struggling financially and we will work hard to ensure that we win this one so that we can boost our coffers ahead of the league’s second round,†said Ngwira.
Bingu Tigresses coach Charles Mhango said the tournament is a blessing in disguise in the absence of the Standard Bank Cup.
“Normally this time of the year we were used to having the Standard Bank Cup, but its future is bleak as it has not been held for two years now.
“So, this tournament will give us something to fight for ahead of the festive season. We are excited and as Tigresses we want to be the inaugural champions,†said Mhango.
MTL Queens’ Emily Machinjiri, whose team has been drawn against Escom, said they want to break the trophy drought that has hit the team for more than five years now.
“We have gone through a very bad spell and I believe this time around we should get it right. We are in a tough group of course with league leaders Escom, but we will try our best.
“This tournament has come at the right time as it will ensure we remain active now that the first round is off,†she said.
The competition, which starts this weekend, has been divided into two phases whereby the top four teams in the OG Issa BDNL namely Escom Sisters, Bingu Tigresses, MTL Queens and Woget Sisters have been seeded for the second phase.
The first phase will involve teams from number five and below and any other interested non-league side.
The two winners from the first phase will join the seeded teams to make the Top Six Series. Tigresses and Woget and the winner of the first phase will form Group A while Escom, MTL Queens and the first phase runners-up will form Group B.
