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Allen Khumalo, Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWEAN players in South African Absa Premiership failed to make it onto the nomination list of the 2016/17 Absa Premiership top achievers.

Warriors and Mamelodi Sundowns’ Khama Billiat, who swept the top two awards in the 2015/16 season, was hampered by injury and failed to have the same impact for his club this season.

Billiat was crowned the Absa Premiership Player of the Season, Absa Premiership Players’ Player of the Year and Midfielder of the Season, but was hardly recognisable in the just-ended season.

Mamelodi Sundowns have five nominees who include coach Pitso Mosimane, skipper Hlompho Kekana, young defender Motjeka Madisha, goalkeeper Denis Onyango and forward Percy Tau.

Orlando Pirates’ striker Tendai Ndoro, who led the Absa Premiership golden boot race from the start of the season, was bumped down into second place by Cape Town City’s Lebohang Manyama.

Ndoro smashed home 11 goals in the first 11 games for Pirates and looked poised to smash the 20-goal mark that has eluded the league’s strikers for years.

He only managed to add one more goal after his 11-game blitz to finish the season with 12 goals and was pipped by Manyama, who scored 13. — @khumzallen