…Elijah Olaleye scored double figures in the history of the country at the ICC World cup
BY ADEYEMI ROBINSON-ADEFIOYE LAGOS
Yellow- Green Junior Cricket team of Nigeria lost her first ever ICC- Cricket World Cup match against Australia by 10 wickets on Monday at the ongoing, ICC- Cricket under 19 world cup in South Africa.
Nigeria won the toss and elected to bat first scoring 61 all out in 30.3 overs with the net run rate of 2.0 per over.
ELIJAH OLALEYE scored 21 runs off 53 balls by playing two, fours and couple of singles, DANLADI ISAAC 9 runs while the captain, SYVESTER OKPE’S 6 runs off 42 runs was not enough to clipped the Aussies wings.
In the second innings, Nigeria tried to put up a fight against the Australians to defend the punny scored they had but the Aussies ended the game within 7.4 overs.
The Secretary of the Lagos State Cricket Association, LSCA, OLAYEMI AMUSA in an exclusive interview with sunrisetimes.com.ng described the Yellow-Green’s defeat as an eye opener.
AMUSA one of the pioneer player of Ibeju Lekki Cricket club of Lagos said their first loss would motivate them to buckle up against West Indies on Wednesday adding that catching up with the other test Nations, it would take developmental programme back home in Nigeria after the world cup.
“This is just a tip of the iceberg, nobody can blame the players because this is an experience for them. We won’t say because they lost their world cup match and we start to castigate the team, no.
“A lot of people asked if Nigeria plays cricket? Which is the big question which they wonder the years it took the country to get to the highest level of the game in under age level and instead of blaming the team, I would rather say it is a big plus for them.
“Definitely after this ongoing world cup, the boys would see that they could as well Perform like other tested Nations and for Nigeria to catch up with other countries at the world cup, it is just about a developmental programme back home. AMUSA said.
Meanwhile, former Yellow-Green senior captain, ADEMOLA ONIKOYI said the team would improve with time on the pitch adding that the boys have learnt from their mistakes against Australia, one of the world powers in cricket.
ONIKOYI said the match was a learning call for Nigerian team pointing out that the match against former under 19 champions West Indies would make the boys play their free flowing game on Wednesday.
