Mutare host Police Defenders

Ngoni Dapira
MUTARE Sports Club Shumbas will tomorrow (Saturday) take on Harare’s Police Defenders in a memorial friendly match at Mutare Sports Club. The match kicks off at 3pm. MSC treasurer Blessing Chizaza said the match will be in memory of Police Defenders ace, Ngonidzashe Chomusora, who passed on last week in a tragic car accident.

Police Defenders are currently on top in the Harare B League leading comfortably with 40 points ahead of Southern City (24), Old Hararians II (18), Red Lions (14) and Air Force (10).

“The friendly match will honour Chomusora who died in a tragic accident last week.
“It will also be a preparatory match for the Shumbas to stay in shape considering that we have not had any NRL matches for the past month since the cancellation of all the top-flight league games,” said Chizaza.

The NRL abruptly cancelled all the Super-Nine top-flight league games last month citing bankruptcy.
Delta Beverage’s Lion Lager brand was the official NRL sponsor since 2011 following a three-year sponsorship deal signed but lapsed last year.
After briefly sustaining from handouts to keep the 2014 league running, the funds finally dried out mid-season in June with no main sponsor in sight for the rest of the season.

The league was supposed to resume and enter the second round fixtures on July 12, but only set off on August 16.
Ultimately, all the league matches were cancelled on September 6, which led to the top-flight league being indefinitely halted pending a sponsorship deal with telecommunications corporation, NetOne.

NRL chairman, Noddy Kanyangarara, last month revealed that negotiations were at an advanced stage with NetOne, but until present day there has been no response on the deal.

Kanyangarara last Wednesday said there was no response from NetOne and was now opting to finish the season by organising a series of tournaments to finish the remaining six matches that were left to wrap up the 2014 season.

He said, “Although modalities are still to be set on venues and fixtures, playing all the league games will be difficult.
“We are still juggling with dates for us to hold a series of tournaments for the semi-finals and then get into the final and third place play-offs.
“The season was supposed to end in October to pave way for the Sevens rugby season that kicks off first week of November, but unfortunately we are in a cash-22 situation and working with limited resources.

“However, one way or the other we will complete the league,” said Kanyangarara.