TheCable

South-south, the defending champions of the Boys PwC U-17 National Cricket Championship, on Wednesday, began its campaign to retain the title with a win.

The defending champions started their campaign at the NCF cricket pitch, Abuja with 62 runs victory over south-east with an 88 first innings run by the south-eastern team and running the south-south team out at 21.1 overs.

“It was a tough first inning for us but we knew we had to bring out the best in us to get the result, we need,” said Theophilus Ibodeme, coach of the south-south team.

By second inning, the south-south bowlers came down on the easterners with Prosper Useni knocking down five wickets, while Reigneth Osagie took two and the duo of Joshua Asia and Samuel Victor had one apiece.

The match ended at 10.4 overs with Joseph Eshua, the technical director of the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), commending the bowling prowess of both teams.

He, however, faulted their batting prowess.

“I am impressed with the level of play here but we are not low on the amount of talent on display,“ Eshua said.

The technical director said the federation would track the players’ performances with a view to making the scouted form the bulk of the U-19 players to represent Nigeria when the World Cup qualifiers get underway.

The 3rd PwC National Under-17 Championship, running at the NCF Cricket Pitch of the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, started on February 16 and will end on 20.