adminSimbarashe Musaki
New Life emerged as surprise City Of Harare snooker social tournament winners, outclassing favorites Real Water Boys at an event held in the capital over the weekend.
The event was aimed at sharpening the skills of municipality players for impending league games.
The Municipal Police team won 3-2, in a five frame final of sparkling snooker.
Real Water Boys in form player, Prince Chanhuwa started the game flowing with a deep screw shot in potting a solid ball, seeing him work the white back off a side cushion before coming back through two solids, almost through the eye of a needle, to land perfectly on the black en-route to beating Victor Matafi.
New Life duo of Newman Desha and player/coach Beven Mubaiwa impressed in their opening frames, putting the Municipal police officers ahead with 2 frames to 1 before Isaac Banda levelled the score-line, keeping alive the hopes of clinching the title for the Harare Water team by beating Simbarashe Mukwena, prior to losing the final frame to Josiah Hove who held his nerve in the deciding frame to send the crowd wild.
Front foot snooker was New Life’s modus operandi and the team was rewarded for its bold play. Some breaks are remembered for a series of excellent pots but there was only one of note courtesy of Newman Desha, a tough stripe ball to the centre pocket – and that was simply down to Desha having the cue ball on a string and finding optimal position time after time.
New Life team manager, Mr Tawanda Manhando was impressed with his team’s performance and is confident of winning the league games commencing next month.
He said:
“Snooker has become unpredictable sport in recent times, we expected to play against our arch-rivals City Boys in the final but unfortunately they didn’t make it to the final 6. However, I’m very happy with our team’s performance, we are on the right track and we are capable of winning this year’s league.
“We have a number of good players who helped us to reach the finals, the likes of Pardon Chifanzwa and Clifford Mafusire whom the coach decided to rest for the final matches.”
Earlier in the tournament Emergency Services and Vultures clashed for the 3rd and 4th position play offs and The City of Harare Fireman won 3-2.
RMB and Granville were on position 5 and 6 respectively, decided by their performance in terms of frames won in their final groupings.
The tournament commenced with 15 teams grouped in 3 groups with the top two teams in each group progressing to the to the finals and teams which failed to make it to the final stage include, City Queens, City Boys, Traffic Bullets, Firle Works, Impossible, Water Workshop, Mbare United, Public Lighting and Morten Jeffrey.
Online Reporter