MASERU — Lesotho will be hoping to end a 12-year wait for silverware when they host the Zone VI Softball Championship starting in Maseru today.
The hosts will however have to overcome Zimbabwe, South Africa, Botswana and Namibia in the regional competition scheduled for Maseru Club.
Lesotho have not known any success since the kingdom started taking part in the Zone VI competition in 1998.
This was about to change, Lesotho Softball Association general secretary Phoka Ranthare said.
“The coaches have told us both teams (male and female) are prepared to win this tournament on home soil,” Ranthare told the Lesotho Times.
“During the Durban friendly matches last weekend, they displayed good talent and readiness to compete against any team that can come their way.”
Both the female and male national teams did well in international friendlies against the Kwazulu-Natal provincial team in Durban, South Africa, last week.
“It was amazing for them to win two games out of four even though they never had quality time together,” Ranthare said.
“They were forced to commute every day from different districts when reporting for practice sessions.”
The lack of adequate preparations might however hamper Lesotho’s ambitions to acquit themselves well in the Zone VI tournament, Ranthare said.
He said the team had failed to camp for the tournament because of lack of funding.
“We might start the official camp today because we never had enough money to prepare for the games,” Ranthare said on Tuesday.
“Our original budget for these games was M250 000 but we were only given M50 000 by the (Lesotho Sports and Recreation Commission).
“We have not even purchased the attire as we speak now and I am not sure what will happen by the end of this day.”
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