Cranborne Bullets to fire from Rudhaka
NEWLY-PROMOTED Premiership side Cranborne Bullets have struck a deal with the Marondera Municipality to host their matches at Rudhaka.
The army side had initially registered their interests at using Lafarge in Mabvuku but the authorities, who own the property, seem to be dragging their feet as nothing has been done to renovate the dilapidated facility.
With the delayed 2020 top-flight season expected to start in August/ September, Bullets will be hoping the Marondera local authorities will be swift in upgrading the stadium.
The stadium was last used for Premiership action about a decade ago but it had not been abandoned as the Marondera municipality kept on maintaining it over the years.
Cranborne Bullets chairman, Douglas Gwite, confirmed yesterday his team were interested in using the Marondera base.
“The Marondera authorities have expressed interest in hosting us and we are willing to take our home games to the Mashonaland East capital,” said Gwite.
“We will be meeting with the authorities at the end of this week to tie the loose ends.
“We would like to take the game out of Harare. We want to build our own fan base in the Mashonaland East community which has been starved of Premiership action for some time.
“We believe in decentralisation of the game. All things being equal, we will be using Rudhaka Stadium as our home ground this season.”
Though the Marondera municipality have largely been maintaining the facility, even when there were no high-profile matches at the stadium, they will have to go the extra mile if the venue is to meet the minimum required standards.
The sitting bays, playing turf, ablution facilities, drainage system, doping, press, medical and change rooms all need to be upgraded if the stadium is to be given the greenlight to host top-flight games by the ZIFA First Instance Board.
Gwite said the renovations at the facility could start as soon as they finalise with the Marondera municipal authorities this week.
He said the army could second artisans to compliment the Marondera Municipality personnel when