Busy sporting weekend in store

Matlama looking to celebrate this weekend

This weekend is a busy sporting affair headlined by the Independence Cup championship at Setsoto Stadium. The annual showpiece contested by Lesotho’s top four teams from the previous league season will be disputed by Lioli, Matlama, LCS and Sundawana this year.

The tournament kicks off today with the semi-finals with the final on Sunday.

Today’s action starts at 1pm with league champions Lioli battling Sundawana before Matlama and LCS go head-to-head at 3pm.

The winner of this year’s Independence Cup, which is celebrating Lesotho’s 50th independence anniversary, will take home a record M150 000 cheque.

Tickets for both days are M20 for the open stands and M30 for the Royal Stand. Because of the Independence Cup, there are no Vodacom Premier League or A-Division games scheduled for this weekend.

There is also plenty of basketball action to enjoy this weekend with a total of nine games in the National Basketball League today and Sunday.

Today the show takes place at the Lesotho College of Education with four ladies league games and one A-Division encounter. The pick of the ladies action is log leaders and reigning champions Lichocha Shooting Rifles facing South Warriors while two unbeaten teams clash when Leseli meet Bokamoso South.

The lone A-Division game will see Leseli face hosts LCE. The action begins at 9am.

On Sunday the action moves at the CTC courts with four games starting from 10:30.

The sole ladies match-up will see Rovers play South Warriors. In the A-Division, LCE will tackle Khubestate and Bokamoso North will face Lerotholi Polytechnic. The weekend’s schedule will then conclude with the main event which is the battle between reigning champions KTA All-Stars and rivals Bashana Baheso at 3pm.

KTA All-Stars and Bashana Baheso meet again

One NBL game has already been played. Last night Lichocha shot to the top of the A-Division with a 118-27 demolition of Limkokwing University.

This weekend’s NBL action:

Saturday at LCE 09:00 LCE v Bashana Baheso (Ladies League) 10:30 Bokamoso North v Leseli (L) 12:00 Bokamoso South v KTA All-Stars (L) 13:00 South Warriors v Shooting Rifles (L) 15:00 Leseli v LCE (A-Division) Sunday at CTC 10:30 LCE v Khubestate (A) 12:00 Rovers v South Warriors (L) 13:30 Bokamoso North v Lerotholi Polytechnic (A) 15:00 Bashana Baheso v KTA All Stars (A)

There is cricket action as well with the 35 Overs Championship continuing with three fixtures this weekend. Today, Tigers host NUL Vampires at PTC from 11am. On Sunday, Linare host Bails in Hlotse and Lerotholi Polytechnic face Tigers at PTC. Both matches start at 11am.

Cricket action this weekend:

35 Overs Championship Saturday: Tigers v NUL Vampires (PTC) 11:00 Sunday: Linare v Bails (Hlotse) 11:00 Sunday: Lerotholi Polytechnic v Tigers (PTC) 11:00

Finally, the start and finish for this year’s Motul Roof of Africa will be situated at Bushman’s Pass between Likalaneng and Nazareth, race organisers have announced.

The new location is not the race’s traditional Bushman’s Finish but a bit further away. The Bushman’s Pass area will be the start and finish for the time trial and for the racing sections on the final two days.

Race organisers also released details on the areas for service crews, officials, the Motul bike wash and vendors. The Roof of Africa will run from November 30 to December 3.