The No Limit Cricket Club on Sunday at the Edo Boys High School Cricket Turf in Benin City emerged winners of the third Edo Cricket League Super Four following its victory over bookmarkers’ favourite, U-17 Cricket Club.
It would be recalled that the U-17 Cricket Club prior to the Super Four final were the defending champions of the Edo Cricket League.
During the first Innings: No limit scored 80 runs for 9 wickets in 20 overs, while at the 2nd Innings, U-17 scored 68 runs all out in 18.2 overs, as No limit won by 12 runs
While the University of Benin (Uniben) Cricket Club won the third-place match after defeating Dolphin Cricket Club.
During the third-place match,1st Innings: Dolphins during the 1st Innings scored 68 runs for 8 wickets in 10 overs, Uniben Cricket Club at 2nd Innings scored 70 runs for 2 wickets in 6.0 overs. Uniben Cricket Club however, won by 8 wickets.
Speaking to sports journalists shortly after the match, captain of the victorious No Limit Cricket Club, Afani Abdulhamid, expressed excitement over his team’s victory against the defending champions.
He said: “When we left the first Inning with 88 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in 20 overs, it seemed we had locked ourselves in a tights corner.
“We had to dig in deep within us to produce the 18.2 all out at 68 runs that gave us the victory,”.
In the South-South Female League category, Smashers Cricket Club of Uyo also emerged winners following its 53 runs victory over Delta Force Cricket Club of Asaba.
Chatting with sports journalists, President of the Nigeria Cricket Association, Uyi Akpata, expressed satisfaction with the level of the league, adding that the aim is to ensure that top teams in the South-South as relates to the female category come together to play.
Akpata, who doubles as the chairman of the Edo State Cricket Association, added, “as it relates to the female, the Edo State Cricket League is to show the best of the talents on display”
He disclosed that his administration has no doubt put in place proper structure that has helped to produced strong cricket team in Edo, just as he maintained that good cricketers abound in the state.
“I am sure that the level of cricket on display would earn some of the players a look-in for national camp that would commence soon,” Akpata said.
On his part, Steve Tikolo, the National Men’s Coach, commended the league which according to him produced top-class cricket matches.
In the same vein, Tiems Williams, commended Uyi Akpata for the development of cricket in the country, describing him as the voice of development for sports and a reference point in the country.
“Ever since he gets himself involved in the administrative level, he has revolutionalised cricket in Edo and Nigeria in general.
“The school programmes which he brought on board has helped to discover good cricketers in the country and that is while the game is making waves in the continent”, he said.
