Lagos and Edo teams on Wednesday qualified for the semi-finals of the ongoing National Men’s Cricket Championship holding at the Edo Boys High School’s Cricket Performance Centre in Benin.
The two states engaged in a nail-biting duel in the closing match of Pool A, but the host state humbled the star-studded Lagos side with four runs.
However, Lagos still topped the group, leaving Edo in second place, while dashing the hopes of Anambra who had earlier in the day shoved Kwara aside.
Uthe Ogbimi, the national under-19 cricket coach, praised the Edo team for their doggedness, saying it brought out the best in them.
“I think the two teams that qualified justified their place in the semi-finals of this championship.
“Though both teams showed some level of vulnerability, which I believe they should go back and address as the game progresses to the 50-over round,” he said.
Also, Enesi Habeeb, the Technical Director of Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), said the event has lived up to its billing.
He added that most of the players have widened the scope of national teams’ considerations through their performances.
“This event is living up to what we hoped it would achieve for us in team selection and technical details.
“It is obvious we have a lot of work to do and I believe the National Head Coach, Asanka Gurusinha who is also on ground, has his notes full,” he said.
Meanwhile, the four teams in Pool B —- Rivers, Ebonyi, Kaduna and Oyo states — will take to the Turf Wickets for their preliminaries from Thursday.
Kaduna state and Rivers will open the rounds for the group, while Ebonyi and Oyo state will also lock horns in the second group match.
The championship which began on Monday will end on March 31.
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