U-17 top table as Edo cricket league goes on Christmas break

Under 17 Cricket Club, the defending champions, are league leader after the fourth week of matches as the 2021/2022 Edo State Cricket League proceeds on a two-week Christmas break.

The U-17 team took out perennial rival No-Limit Cricket Club by 11 runs on Saturday at the Edo Boys High School in Adolor, Benin City, to remain unscathed after its fifth game of the season.

The U-17 side also booked 110 runs for loss of 1 wicket in 20 overs in the first innings, with David Abiebhode chalking the second half-century of the league in the encounter.

Abiebhode returned to help demolish No-Limit in the closing inning, picking three wickets for 26 runs in 4 overs to emerge as the man of the match. No-Limit could only scrape out 99 in 18.5 before going all-out.

Invictus Cricket Club also defeated Integrity Force Cricket Club by 29 runs in a match that Isaac Oyemgba, Nigeria’s international who plays for Invictus, was adjudged man of the match.

Invictus, scoring 112 runs for a loss of 5 wickets, had halted Integrity Force’s run to 83 in 15.4 overs to claim victory.

On Sunday, Elochukwu David’s effort propelled Invictus to its second win of the weekend with a massive 4 wicket for 2 runs in 4 overs, leaving Crusaders Cricket Club in shreds with 79 runs win that ended in overs.

In the closing match, No-limit, coming from a dip a day before, forced a win out of its encounter with Integrity Force.

Victor Ikpoli, bowling sensation, partnered Godbless Abilo to snatch four wicket each, emptying their hope for a win after a paltry 52 runs in 9.2 over for the Integrity team.

Uyi Akpata, chairman of Edo State Cricket Association, said cricket provided a perfect recreation with benefit that also complements their educational pursuit.

“Because of the facilities that Edo state has through investments, taking up cricket has given a lot of youth advantages ahead of their peers in other parts of the country,” said Akpata, who doubles as president of the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), on Monday.

“This includes a number Edo players having opportunity to acquire life skills and also getting drafted into different national teams, which is very good for their future pursuit, given the exposure that comes with it.”

At the Christmas party that highlighted the break, kids were introduced to cricket with demonstration kits and a tour of the facility at the Edo Boys High School.

The demostration is aimed at stirring their interest towards the sport.

The Edo state cricket association currently hosts the biggest grassroots development campaign in the six zones of Nigeria.