By: Gracious Akujobi
Following Nigeria’s qualification for Division 5 of the ICC World Cricket League in London, board member of the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) Olisa Egwuatu has called on National Sports Commission (NSC) and well-meaning Nigerians to support the national team financially ahead of next year’s Division 5 league competition in Malaysia.
Egwuatu, who led the team to London for the competition disclosed in Abuja that the promotion to Division 5 would bring a lot of benefits to the game in Nigeria.
He noted that the NCF is delighted with the giant strides the sport is making in the country, especially qualifying for the next year’s tournament in Malaysia alongside Argentina, Tanzania, Vanuatu and Jersey, that hosted the division 6 championships.
He said: “Another benefit of the promotion is that Nigeria will now feature in more international competitions than before, and this will further help in exposing the cricketers to acquire better skills,” he said.
Captain of the team, Adekunle Adegbola, also lauded the NCF for providing a platform for them to showcase their talents at the ICC World Cricket League in London.
“It is a great thing to be in Division 5 and we are highly privileged to be there”
“The team did brilliantly well, we were excellent at the event, we did a fine job with the bat. We were all in high spirits at the event”
“I hope we do well in Malaysia and we will be looking to be promoted to Division 4 and we are going to prepare well because we know it is going to be a tough task and a step-up”, “he promised.
On their way to qualifying for the Division 5, the team played five games and lost just one.
