How much are you into cricket? While the game is played by a few nations, it is true that more African nations are taking an interest in it than before. However, to reach the status of a world team, any nation has to go through several stages first. If you are a Betway Nigeria fan interested in cricket, here is some good news for you though.
Last week, the Junior Yellow team, the U-19 National junior team secured a victory over Sierra Leone. They have one to become the winners of ICC U-19 World Cup African Division Two Qualifier Tournament held in Potchefstroom, South Africa.
This has brought a lot of hope for the revival of the sport in Nigeria. It is surprising that cricket was once very popular in Nigeria. It can be said it was big as a football.
Although the team won the cup, it did not come easily. The team that won the cup had gone for a two month camp in Benin City in Edo and Kaduna. Initially, the team had 40 players, but they were later pruned to the final 14.
Before heading to South Africa, the team first made a quick stop in Uganda. They went for a four-hour day where they engaged in the U-19 and U-23 trials games.
After the win in South, Africa fans have convinced the Nigerian Cricket Federation to nurture this young player. This will help them place Nigeria on the map to joining world class cricket teams.
The NCF, President, Professor Yahaya Ukwenya, acknowledged that the win was not as easy as it may seem. He revealed that most of the players were pulled from different private leagues from all over the country.
Over the recent years, the game of cricket had been sinking in Nigeria. However, since President Ukwenya took office six months ago, things seem to be improving.
Ukwenya and his team developed a document that would be sure to take the game to the next level. They identified key areas that would boost the sport. They include:-
• Getting proper funding.
• Engaging consultants and past players.
• Focusing on a youth programme that would boost the sport.
Moreover, the NCF has increased its good relations with international affiliations to help them improve the facilities in the country. In April this year, Nigeria had won the rights to host two sports events: ICC T-20 World Cup Qualifier and the Africa Cricket Association.
In the two events, Nigeria finished second behind Ghana. However, hosting the games gave Nigeria a good rating and a rise in the upgrade of prime facilities. Moreover, the coaching programmes that were conducted helped indigenous coaches get informed about the new trends in the world of cricket.
The win of the U-19 in South Africa was as a result if this programmes. In addition, NCF decided to recruit South African cricket legend Makhaya Ntini. He was recruited as the technical assistant to the cricket team.
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