BALAKA (MaraviPost) — After a long time of sponsorship drought, pool teams from the eastern region will this weekend converge at Chiyembekezo Motel in Malawi’s Balaka district to shrug it off in a K100,000 pool bonanza.
The bonanza, that has attracted at least eight teams from Ntcheu, Balaka, Mangochi, Machinga and Zomba, has been sponsored by Chiyembekezo Motel.
Owner of the Motel, Chikondi Mbewe, who is also Malawi Pool Association (Mapa) president said the competition is aimed at sharpening players as the national pool league is about to cue off.
According to Chiyembekezo, the national league, that is competed for in the four regions of the country, cues off on August 30.
“You might be aware that the region [Eastern Region Pool League] has been idle for some time without any competition. This bonanza will help players to be ready for the upcoming national league,” said Mbewe.
Mbewe urged teams from the region to use this competition to try their players.
Winners are expected to cart home K50,000 with runners up getting K25,000. Third and fourth-placed teams will receive K15,000 and K10,000 respectively.
The competition will be played in a round robin format and the frame will be seven players plus two substitutes each team.
Teams are supposed to pay K5,000 registration fee.
There are four pool leagues in the country; the Southern Region Pool League (SRPL), Eastern Region Pool League (ERPL), Central Region Pool League (CRPL) and Northern Region Pool League (NRPL). But it is only the ERPL which has many districts [five] while other leagues accommodate teams from one district.