Chronicle Editor
Mandla Ncube, Sports Reporter
THE Rainbow Amateur Netball League (RANL) last weekend got a relief as Lusumbami Queens Netball Club bounced back into the league after having initially withdrawn their membership at the eleventh hour.
Lusumbami had pulled out of the league citing financial constraints in running the franchise leaving the league’s opening week scheduling in jeopardy. Following the withdrawal, the league’s top brass weighed up a few alternatives at their disposal, one choice that the league was open to was to give the Hwange-based club a reprieve in hope of the club’s change in heart. That open gesture appears to have forced Lusumbami club owners into a rethink, luring the Hwange-based club into action last weekend against Goldreef.
“Our financial situation is still the same, we failed to get the support but then we went and sat down again and said we can’t afford to lose both, yes, we don’t have the financial sponsorship but if we sit and lose both the position we had fought for the past two seasons it wouldn’t be ideal, it’s like neglecting the girl child, so we have decided to come back to the league and play our games,” Lusumbami chairperson, Thembinkosi Muremba said.
The league’s secretary general, Moses Gukurume, expressed his delight over the return of Lusumbami.
“This is an exciting development because we need a team in Mat North if not two or three, it’s a very big development considering we have vast talent from that area and to fail to have a team there was very sad, but they are coming back, it’s a much welcome development,” said Gukurume.
Knowing Lusumbami’s delicate financial predicament, the league has since instructed the club to write a letter to the league sponsor so that they can be assisted here and there in order to fulfil their fixtures and avoid last season’s situation whereby certain games ended up not being played.
Online Reporter