TheCable

Idia Royals female cricket club of Benin on Sunday defeated Smashers of Uyo by seven wickets to win the 2024 south-south Female Cricket League.

Favour Eseigbe, the national team player, led Idia Royals to beat Pathfinders in the first semi-final of the Super Four series on Saturday by one run to secure a spot in the final. Smashers also subdued Adolo Amazons to get the second ticket for the dramatic final.

Abraham Oviawe, the vice chairman of the Edo state cricket association, said the emergence of a new winner for the event indicated the competitiveness that the tournament has attracted.

“It is very impressive to see the quality of talent that has been unearthed in just three editions. Many of the teams now work hard to develop their players and not depend on the established names,” Oviawe said.

The first two edition winners were Ekpoma Supernovas and Smashers cricket clubs respectively.

Smashers’ Salome Sunday won the batter of the series with 47 runs, while Unwana Moses of Pathfinders was the bowler of the series. Esther Sandy also of Smashers was named the fielder of the series while Piety Lucky was awarded the most valuable player of the series.

Eight teams took part in the recent zonal competition with four teams qualifying for the super four phase of the league.

Uyi Akpata, the chairman of the Edo State Cricket Association, said the annual event, which is the only female cricket league in north-west Africa, is a key element driving the development of female cricket on the continent.

“This league holds the key to our development and we appreciate all the support from the government and coaches that make it work,” said Akpata, who also president of Nigeria Cricket Federation.