Thrilling Finish as South-south Emerges U-17 National Cricket Champions

The 2nd edition of the National Under-17 Cricket Championship sponsored by PwC ended yesterday with the South-south team emerging the winners.

Having recorded 93 runs in a tight 40 over finals match, the North-west team seemed set for a defence of the title they won last year in Abuja until the second innings when the bowling firepower of the South-south team came to the fore.

Coach Theophilus Adolphus Ibodeme, who led the winning team, said he came into the game with faith in the talents and discipline that his team had.

“We are very happy to be the winning team, it did not come easy, our boys deserved it and worked really hard for it,” gushed the winning coach.

They halted the North-west team at 57 all out.

President of the Nigeria Cricket Federation, Professor Yahaya Ukwenya, said he was particularly proud of the level of skill and talents on display as it has proved the federation to be on the right path.

“We had these teenagers display high level of performance at every point in this championship which is a nice feedback for us at the kind of work being done at different regions.

“Some players have shone at this event and will get a chance to prove themselves at the National U-19 camp when it opens ahead of the World Cup qualifiers that we are hosting later in the year.”

Tolulope Adeleke, who represented PwC at the event said that his company’s partnership with Nigeria Cricket Federation was an expression of shared value of team work, integrity and professionalism.

The National U-17 Cricket Championship was run in the regions where states competed and winners emerged and raised a regional team that had players from competing states.

The winning South-south team had players from Edo, Delta, Rivers and Akwa Ibom states. The South-west team finished in third place at the event.