By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –
THE Zambia women bowlers yesterday struck gold in the pairs’ category of the ongoing Africa States Bowls Championship at the Central Sports Club in Lusaka.
Foster Banda and Matimba Like were the toast of Team Zambia after sending all their five opponents to the cleaners on their way to winning the coveted gold.
Bowling is played in four categories, namely, singles, pairs, triples and fours, also known as rinks.
The organisers of the event have decided that the women start with pairs and triples while the men are on singles and rinks.
“It is a great feeling. We are so, so proud that we have managed to get a gold medal for Zambia. There is a lot of pressure to win when you are hosts and it’s just nice that we have got something,” an elated Banda said soon after securing the gold.
The Zambian women pairs’ team came off the group with a maximum 10 points after beating all its five opponents with ease and left South Africa to finish in second with eight points after winning all its games except against the hosts.
South Africa picked up the silver medal while the battle for bronze was a heated affair between Kenya and Botswana who were both on four points with tie-breakers set to separate the two countries.
Namibia and Zimbabwe were the other countries in the group.
In the women triples event, the Zambian team faired badly, winning just two of their five games while South Africa collected 10 points after prevailing in all their games.
Zimbabwe and Botswana were tied on six points with the former likely to take silver in view of having better shots.
In the men’s section, Zambia was not having such a glorious run where Harry Musonda was fighting for a silver medal after winning three of the five matches with the decider being against Zimbabwe.
South Africa’s Rudi Jacobs scooped gold in the men singles after winning all his six matches with Musonda second on six points but needed to beat his Zimbabwean opponent to get to the medal bracket.
Zimbabwe, Kenya and Botswana had won two of the four games played while Namibia had lost all their matches.
In the men rinks, South Africa again were kings with five wins from five games and were assured of gold and followed by Zimbabwe and Namibia who each had three wins.
While Namibia played five matches, Zimbabwe did just four.
Zambia had two wins from five matches and were playing Zimbabwe in the closing game.
The tournament continues today at Lusaka and Central Sports clubs.