ABUJA – The Chairman, Kwara State Cricket Association (KSCA), Wale Olokooba, said on Tuesday that the association was working hard toward reviving cricket in the state.
Olokooba told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that already they had started trying to bring the sport to acceptable standard that it had attained in the past.
“Cricket has come to stay in Kwara. This is because of the high caliber of players in the state’s team,” he said.
Olokooba was speaking against the backdrop of the state’s male team’s qualification to represent the North-Central region at the finals of the National Male Cricket Championship.
NAN reports that the Ilorin-based team upset a star-studded FCT team with 172 runs in 44 overs in the zonal qualifiers held in Abuja last Sunday.
They surprisingly chased FCT’s 171 runs in 50 overs.
“The future is bright for us for now because Kwara has been known for cricket for long. We used to play men’s championship finals in Ilorin in the 1990s until the coach then died.
“We are now poised to resurrect cricket. We have a very good cricket ground and one of the properly naturally built cricket pitches in the country.
“We have a pitch that is made for cricket and cricket alone. So, we want to bring cricket back to the standard it used to be in the state,’’ Olokooba said.
The chairman also a board member of the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) commended the male team for qualifying for the finals of the championship.
He added that determination and youthful enthusiasm won the game for the team in spite of vast experience of the opposing team.
“Naturally, the game was very tight, they (FCT) made 171 runs and they did not expect us to chase because they bowled well.
“But out of that tight bowling, we still managed to make runs because we are a younger side and they are older even though they have a lot of experienced players in their team.
“What came in our favour was the youthfulness and skills; we came with determination knowing that FCT has a good team.
“They have good bowlers and good batsmen but we are a good side, we are just coming up,’’ Olokooba said.
He expressed optimism that some of the players would be invited to the national team.
“Many of them can make it to the national team because of their age, because the national team needs skillful young players.
“They need players that can blend easily and have endurance to cope during camping,’’ Olokooba said.
Meanwhile, the finals of the championship have been scheduled to hold from Dec. 5 to Dec. 7 in Abuja. (NAN)
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