Samona to capitalise on Lukomwa absence

Senior Pool League

CKI v Skin Samona

Venue: Lumax Pool Arena Namirembe Road

Date: Wednesday

Time: 5:00pm

As CKI line-up against Skin Samona in what should be their toughest match before the Senior Pool League season closes on December 17, Azali ‘Hazard' Lukomwa's absence will ring loudest.

As talented as the 19-year old CKI player is, his decision to take drugs during the Kampala Open was a matter of utter disrespect to the sport and the tournament.

He was handed a three-week ban from the sport which rules him out until the end of the current season.

The ban serves as an early indicator of the kind of administration PAU Chairman Bob Trubish will run seeing as he promised to kick such vices out of the sport and introduce mandatory alcohol and drugs testing.

CKI will have to cope without Lukomwa against a Fahad Ssewankambo led Skin Samona in the biggest match of round 22.

"I am sure we shall beat CKI because their best player in the league Hazard is serving a ban," Ssewankambo said ahead of the match.

He fancies Samona could take advantage to win and possibly go on and clinch the title although they are five points behind the table leaders with six games to go.

This statement by the Skin Samona captain underlines the teenager's importance to his team. The country's top seed Sula Matovu also plays in the same team, but does not command the same influence at club level.

His absence could also be the opportunity Matovu needs to shine and dust off his lacklustre national pool open performance.