By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –

THE Zambia Cricket Union’s (ZCU) preparations for the forthcoming International Cricket Council (ICC) Pepsi Africa Under-19 Championship got a boost when Lusaka Hotel offered to accommodate officials during the 10-day event.

Lusaka Hotel’s sponsorship, which includes bed and breakfast for three-twin double rooms, is worth K10, 000.

Local Organising Committee (LOC) chairperson Haroon Ghumra paid tribute to Lusaka Hotel for the gesture.

Ghumra said he held talks with Lusaka Hotel boss, David Thompson on the matter and that the hospitality institution responded positively to the request and some officials had good accommodation during this month’s event.

According to a letter from Lusaka Hotel to ZCU and signed by Lusaka Hotel’s executive assistant manager Robert Mwale, the hotel expressed happiness to contribute to the development of sport in the country and offered three rooms to the union.

“We are pleased to inform you that the Lusaka Hotel, as one of the oldest existing hotels, takes pride in associating itself with the improvement of sport in Zambia. It is with this background that we are offering the ZCU three twin rooms worth K10, 000 for the period of the tournament,” Mwale said.

The tournament will run from August 9 to 18 and will be contested by hosts Zambia, Swaziland, Ghana, Tanzania, Mozambique, Rwanda and Sierra Leone.

Ghumra said it was gratifying that LOC was slowly coming closer to meeting the K180, 000 budget for the tournament.

The veteran administrator also said his committee was in talks with Government to help with transport for players and officials during the tournament.

“So far, we have had successful meeting with Government and they have indicated to us that they will give us five buses to use during the tournament. This is great and we are anxiously waiting for a confirmation,” he said.

ZCU has also had a meeting with three cricket clubs in Lusaka for the use of their facilities to host the ICC tournament.

The clubs are Metropolitan, Lotus and Leopards Hill.

ZCU president Rueben Chama said EC Mining which gave the union K5, 000 towards the ICC tournament was not Peruvian owned.

Last week, Ghumra announced that LOC had raised K90, 000 and was looking to more sponsors to make the tournament a resounding success.