Ties dominate pool league return

A lot of water has gone through the bridge during the three-week half-season break in the national pool league! Uganda failed to present a team in the just concluded Blackball International World Championships in Tangier, Morocco due to lack of finances.

Yet just last week, three Ugandan semi-pro players; Ibrahim Sejemba, Caesar Chandiga and Azali Lukomwa were deported from Zambia for lack of work permits, while former Hot Pool player Maureen Tushabe is in a fight of her life with breast cancer.

The leagues will be played with a team less as Mukono Giants, which morphed from Ntinda Giants midway the season, opted to pull out of the league after owners, Chillies Sports Bar, changed ownership!

But when the action finally got underway on Saturday, it was title chasers Upper Volta and Mbale, who made hay out of the rusty opposition.

Upper Volta beat sorry Capital Night 15-5 while Mbale beat Tororo Tigers 14-6. Both sides earned a bonus point. But the celebrations can wait as Scrap Buyers were not in action.

Mbale made it without key players Joseph ‘Sharp Shooter’ Kasozi and top seed Mansoor Bwanika with rumoured tensions over contractual issues but promising youngster Eria Kimuli, Jonathan ‘Savimbi’ Ouma, Willy Yiga, Abdul Mafabi and Arnold Ssemukwano made light work of visiting Tororo.

All draws

The most characteristic result of the weekend though were tied games as four of the six games were drawn.

Club 408 was on course to win against Akaanya when star player Emmy ‘Sero’ Jondu regrettably potted the white. Having two shots in hand and the eight ball well placed near the pot, he chose a follow shot. The consequences were bitter as he potted the cue ball to the delight of Akaanya, who actually had a terrible showing.

The mistake would come to haunt Jondu on Sunday, losing two of the four games he played against Capital Night in the 10-all draw.

A similar score was registered by Nakawa Pool Rangers, who forced Kansanga into a draw but the most dramatic was in Luzira between a youthful Sinkers and hosts Akaanya.

Akaanya were on course to a surprise victory after taking a 7-3 halftime win. But as the rain stopped play for some minutes, the resulting coldness would catch up with the hosts. They literally froze. First it was coach-player Alfred ‘Black Sheep’ Gumikiriza then Patrick Sekirime, who gave away vital wins when they mismanaged the white leaving the opponents with an easy task of cleaning the tables.

Luckily for the hosts, Sinkers forfeited a game when their player appeared without a bow tie and Akaanya took the ninth game. Eric Nagaba, who had struggled all evening, brought in the tenth and with Gumikiriza up for the decider, he lost the lug and when Muhire came up, he broke and finished for the equaliser.

“There is nothing you can do when someone breaks and finishes. It was not our day,” said Gumikiriza, who won two out of the four games on the day.

NATIONAL POOL LEAGUE 

Resullts

Club 408 10-10 Akaanya

Mbale 14-6 Tororo Tigers

Capital Night 5-15 Upper Volta

Akaanya 10-10 Sinkers

Nakawa 10-10 Kansanga

Club 408 10-10 Capital Night