ESWATINI STUN ZIM, SHINE IN SINGLES

MBABANE – Eswatini has had mixed results so far in the ongoing 2023 All Africa Blackball Championships held in South Africa (SA).

Both the senior men and women’s national teams are in the competition after having left Eswatini on Tuesday morning for Johannesburg, Montecasino. In games played yesterday and on Thursday, Eswatini men’s team lost 8-17 to Tanzania and 15-10 to Zambia. The ladies, led by Captain Ncobile ‘S’ncobesh’ Dlamini edged Namibia 13-12 before narrowly by same margin to Zambia in what a great start for them.

Yesterday, the men’s team comprising decorated stars like Sithembiso ‘Dodge’ Matsebula, Zweli ‘Siziba’ Dlamini, Nathi ‘Bhubesi’ Dlamini and Siyabonga Dlamini, among others shocked Zimbabwe with a 13-12 win, the first for the underdogs. The men went on to play the host team, gave away a 9-lead to lose 13-12 in the end. It seemed to be a good day for Eswatini ladies team as their rivals, Uganda, did not make it to the game.
A win may be handed to Eswatini after a disqualification for Uganda. In the second match of the day, SA proved too good for the ladies as they were beaten 13- 5, but there is still a chance to make the knockout stage.

Singles

Meanwhile, two of the men’s squad players in Captain Dodge and Bhubesi, did well in the round of 64 men’s singles as they beat their rivals to reach the knockout the stage. Dodge won 6-2 against Botswana’s Keabetswe while Bhubesi sunk Cavana 6-3. The latter is also from Botswana. For the ladies, the singles started on the negative as last season’s domestic ladies league champion Thandiswa ‘Mazwai’ Dlamini was knocked down by Vari from Zimbabwe with a 2-5 scoreline.  The tournament finishes tomorrow before the inaugural Hawley Cup resumes next Tuesday at the same hotel until October 23.

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