. Pool

By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –
ZAMBIA at the weekend surrendered the Africa Pool title after losing the last and crucial game to a feeble Uganda during the All-Africa Black Ball Pool championship tournament held in Tanzania.
The title was recaptured by South Africa after an excellent competition which also saw their women team take the African title as well as the top individual accolades with Zambia settling for third position.
Zambia, who went into the tournament as favourites, were shell shocked as they lost their first game 16-9 to hosts Tanzania in a game played few hours after team arrived.
With fatigue been put as the reason for the loss, the next game did not offer any respite as the Moses Mofya led team had to face the mighty South Africa with the Zambian team excelling via a tight 13-12 win to get back on track.
Zambia position was further heightened when they beat Kenya 17-8 to share top slot with South Africa on eight points while Tanzania was in third place with seven as the competition went into the final round.
Mofya who also at this stage leading points’ collector in the tournament winning 12 of the 15 racks he had played in the team event.
Needing to beat Uganda at the same time South Africa was playing Kenya, the unimaginable happened as Zambian team were edged out in the game by the Ugandans who defeated them 13-12.
The defeat saw Zambia finishing third on nine points thereby relinquishing the title to South Africa, who battered Kenya 16-9, as Tanzania jumped into second position with 10 points.
Uganda’s surprise win over Zambia took them into fourth place with seven points with Kenya finishing as tail-enders on two points.