The Northern Cape Diamonds finished their Telkom Netball League participation for 2026 in sixth place after North West Tshukudu claimed a one-goal victory of 41-40 on Friday 12 June at the Rembrandt Hall, University of Pretoria.

In this play-off for fifth and sixth position in Division 2, the match balanced on a knife’s edge right until the final whistle.

Tshukudu came flying out of the blocks, leading by five goals in the opening two minutes as the Diamonds struggled to find their rhythm. It took the Diamonds three minutes to register their first goal, with unforced errors and turnovers disrupting their flow, as reported by netball-sa.org.za.

Midway through the first quarter, the Diamonds began to settle into the match. Improved ball security and stronger defensive efforts allowed them to reduce the margin to two goals. Despite the Diamonds’ resurgence, Tshukudu still took a 13-9 lead at the end of the quarter.

The second quarter developed into a fascinating contest, with neither side able to gain a decisive advantage. Momentum shifted repeatedly as both teams traded goals and exchanged slender leads. The Diamonds briefly edged in front before Tshukudu responded, setting up a tense finish to the half.

With both teams matching each other stride for stride, the score was locked at 23-23 at half-time.

In the second half of the match, the scores were level at 34-34 with ten minutes left to play before Tshukudu produced three unanswered goals to establish a crucial lead. The Diamonds refused to back down. The encounter evolved into a gripping back-and-forth affair, with both sides battling for possession.

Locked at 40-40 heading into the decisive super shot period, defensive pressure intensified as intercepts proved pivotal at both ends of the court.

In the end, Tshukudu held their composure, sinking a single shot and playing the ball around until the final whistle to secure a narrow one-goal win.

Diamonds’ Andiswa Dlamini shone as Player of the Match.

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