The immediate-past vice chairman of the Edo State Cricket Association, Barrister Abraham Oviawe, has said the feat the south-south teams achieved at the recent PriceWaterhouse Coopers-sponsored National Under-17 National Cricket Championship was mostly aided by the players’ exposures to competitive events through the state’s league.
“Our league is currently one of the toughest leagues around and a good number of the South-South team players play here. We just concluded the 2021/22 season where the winning side, also named U-17 won. This club is dedicated as the conveyor belt for our talented teens. Once you are 17 you leave the club,” Oviawe said.
He continued: “Through the team spirit and dedication established, it has played its role well and it did truly supply most of the male under 17 boys that won in Abuja on Sunday. The female league also parades some of the top players that lifted the girl title in Abuja.”
He further expressed pride at the success achieved at the Edo Cricket League and looked forward to other region borrowing from their model by running viable cricket leagues that would hand the players regular and competitive playing times to grow their skills.
“I am sure the coming editions of the national U17 finals will be tougher, and we look forward to the challenge from other regions as well but we are not resting on our oars. Including the continuous schools’ and grassroots cricket campaigns that have unearthed and promoted cricket talents,” he further said.
Edo State Cricket Association has built the first Turf Wicket in Nigeria and plans building one at each of the state’s three senatorial districts before the end of the 2022.