adminRicky Zililo Sports Reporter
THE Hockey Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) Cup set for Saturday at Khumalo Hockey Stadium in Bulawayo will mark the end of the season.Eight teams from Bulawayo, Harare and Masvingo will battle it out in the men and women’s categories.
Humphrey Chigwedere, the Haz Cup tournament director, said they were ready for the competition and a draw has already been conducted.
“The season is coming to an end and everything is set for our HAZ Cup which is a clubs’ tournament. We are going to have four men’s teams and four women’s clubs competing. Each team will pay a participation fee of $250 and all the participating clubs have the rules and regulations of the tournament.”
The men’s category has favourites Hippo Valley who won the Easter competition, Bulawayo’s Queens Sports Club, Rams from Masvingo and Harare’s Enthusiasts.
Top ranked Hippo Valley will take on Enthusiasts in the first game on Saturday while Queens face Rams and the winners will clash in the final to be played later in the day.
In the women’s category, Bulawayo Athletic Club (BAC) will take on Harare Select with Scorpions and Sunrise squaring off in an all Harare semi-final.
The HAZ Cup comes barely a month after Khumalo Hockey Stadium played host to a Haz Inter-Provincial Trophy which Harare won after beating Matabeleland in the final.
Matabeleland Hockey Board secretary Kalpesh Pashotam said they are looking forward to the competition.
“This has been a good year for hockey and as Bulawayo we want to end it on a good note. The HAZ Cup will be our third seniors’ event and we are happy that this year we had schools also utilising the Khumalo Hockey Stadium.
“It is our hope that next season will even be bigger and eventful than 2013,” said Pashotam.
Meanwhile, the HAZ will hold their general meeting after the tournament.
Online Reporter