Prince Chese and Netshakhuma Muleya
Wellton Primary School delivered a commanding all-round performance against Centenary School in tennis and cricket competitions held in Beitbridge on Saturday, sweeping the majority of matches in both disciplines.
In the girls’ tennis category, Welton’s fillies stamped their authority early, winning seven out of eight games, leaving Centenary with a single victory.
The dominance continued in the senior division where Welton secured six wins, while Centenary managed two.
The hosts carried their momentum into the cricket field, where the Welton colts edged Centenary by eight runs in a tightly contested encounter that went down to the final wickets.
The bowlers held their nerve to defend the total, dismissing Centenary with two wickets remaining in a thrilling finish.
Speaking to Ziyah News Network after the matches, Welton Primary School head Tafadzwa Chindanya praised the learners’ determination and competitive spirit.
“These school students showed us the other side of them. I appreciate them for winning in all disciplines. This shows us that we are going somewhere with the teams. There is still another side of batting which the cricket boys need to polish up, but they played very well,” he said.
Centenary School team manager Ntobeko Ndlovu remained optimistic despite the losses, describing the games as a learning curve for his side.
“Although we lost these games, we gained experience and confidence. We hope next time to improve and polish our weaknesses, as we managed to recognise our mistakes in these matches. These games played a pivotal role in identifying areas that need improvement,” Ndlovu said.
Centenary cricket player Busisa Nkala acknowledged Welton’s strong performance and described the encounter as a valuable learning experience.
“It was a wonderful game playing against the Welton boys. They performed exceptionally well, and we learned a lot from them,” he said.
Welton cricket player Quinton Mandava celebrated the victory but admitted there is room for improvement.
“We are happy with the win over Centenary, but we still need to improve our batting performance. All thanks to our coaches for guiding us,” he said.
Centenary tennis player Joana Majoni echoed her teammates’ sentiments, expressing determination despite the setback. “Today we may have lost, but next time we will come back stronger, better prepared, and ready to give it our all,” she said.