Vusumuzi DubeInnocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
THE best of pool players in Bulawayo will today (Saturday) converge at Palace Hotel, Skittle Inn, Dawn Sports Bar and Nokkies Bar for the National Pool Championships qualifiers.
This marks a return of the biggest tournament in the game, after a two year Covid-19 induced stoppage.
Bulawayo Provincial Pool Association (BPPA) marketing and publicity officer Osbourne-Wells Dziko said they are expecting quality play from the players who will take part.
“We are excited to be having this competition back. We urge fans to come in their numbers and support. Hopefully we will see records being broken,” said Dziko.
Competition hosts have expressed gratitude to the sponsors, with Palace Hotel proprietor Tapiwa Gandiwa saying it was a deal that will enhance business and sport in the country.
“This is what I call a mutually beneficial businesses and sports institutions partnership. We are committed to work together for the common good of society,” said Gandiwa.
The tournament that is set to draw the best talent out of Bulawayo will be played according to the blackball rule, which stipulate that the referee’s decision will be final in all instances. Shorts, gumboots or slippers are not allowed and any player that turns up wearing them will automatically lose the game.
In 2019, Tendai “Inspector” Mubaiwa and Flatta Moyo were crowned Carling Black Label National Pool champions in Harare. Mubaiwa, of Hatfield beat Benjamin Mabhugu for the title.
Nicknamed “Inspector”, it was the third CBL National Pool Championship win for Mubaiwa in recent years.
He was the best male player at the same competition in 2015 and 2018.
Moyo, who hails from Bulawayo, emerged as the champion in the women’s section.
She defeated Jessina Musiiwa in the women’s final while Tariro Vhondo and Christine Sengwe were third and fourth respectively.
-@innocentskizoe
Bongani Ndlovu