By Gracious Akujobi Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) has released a list of 16 players ahead of next month’s Africa Male Under-19 Cricket Championship.
The list released to Prompt News by NCF in Abuja includes Okpe Sylvester who will serve as the team’s captain and Adiamo Mojeed the wicket keeper.
Others are Akachukwu Moses, Tay Abiodun, Ahamefule Sunday, Okhide Eboehi, Igbineweka Olaye, Yussuff Mustapha, Ajekun Daniel, Olaleye Olayinka, Joseph Tabat, Onwuliri Chukwudi, Simon Samson and Ayinde Babatunde, Doumotimi Franklin and Adewoye Dimeji.
Five players including Obesesan Afiz (Ogun), Mgbojikwe Chukwudi (Anambra), Daniel Gim (Kaduna), Onosetale Ofenmu (Edo) and Sadiku Shakiru (Lagos) did not make the final list.
Uthe Ogbimi, Senior National Team Coach of Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) told NAN that the players failed to make the list not because of performance but due to the date of “birth matrix’’.
“Due to the late circular from the ICC concerning age matrix we find out that out of the 21 players originally invited to camp, five of them had to go.
“Though the players are U-19 years of age and duly qualified to play in the Africa championship
“The new rules from ICC means that you will not just be U-19 for this tournament, you have to be U-19 by the time the U-19 World Cup takes place.
“In effect, they are asking countries to go further down the line to get probably 17-year-old players to play u-19 tournaments, so this brought the screening out of five of our players,’’ Ogbimi said.
Prompt News reports that 21 players reported to camp on January 18 in preparation for the championship scheduled to take place between February 13 -20 in Tanzania.
The team is expected to depart for Kenya on January 26 on a pre-season tour from where it will proceed to Tanzania for the Championship.
