In a match that would have had bookies scrambling to update their sports betting odds, Nigeria’s women’s team delivered an outstanding performance, clinching their third victory in the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) Women’s Invitational tournament. They defeated Ghana by a resounding 62 runs at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) Cricket Oval in Lagos, leaving the crowd in awe of their cricketing prowess.
On Friday, the Ghanaian team won the toss and was elected to field at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) Cricket Oval. However, Nigeria’s slow start was no match for the might of Salome Sunday and Agatha Obulor, who contributed significantly to the scoreboard, helping the team reach 120 runs for the loss of four wickets in 20 overs.
Ghana’s efforts to chase down the target were valiant, with Rasidatu Salia and Komalpreet Grewal leading the charge. However, Nigeria’s Racheal Samson and Peculiar Agboya proved too hot to handle, limiting their West African rivals to 58 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in their 20 overs.
Speaking after the match, Ghanaian Captain, Rhyda Ofori, retained optimism and said, “At the end of the day, we lost all the matches in the tournament, but it is not the end of Ghana Women’s cricket. We have learned some lessons here and will take them home and improve our game. Hopefully, we’ll come back better and stronger.”
Nigeria’s Captain, Blessing Etim, meanwhile, was effusive in her praise for her team’s unbeaten run in the tournament so far, saying, “The win means so much to us because we have great teamwork and effort to ensure that we go unbeaten in this tournament. Although we must come through with our batting and bring our ‘A’ game as well as we face Rwanda on Saturday.”
With this win, Ghana left the tournament after losing all of its matches to Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Cameroon. The tournament will continue, with Nigeria facing Rwanda in the last group game, while Sierra Leone will face Cameroon on Saturday. The tournament, which began on Monday, promises to be a thrilling affair until Sunday’s grand finale.
Nigerian Cricket History
Cricket made its way to Nigeria in the 19th century, introduced by British colonial administrators. But it wasn’t just the British government officials who brought the game over – English missionaries and army personnel also helped to spread the sport throughout the region.
Nigeria played its first known international game against the Gold Coast, now known as Ghana, in 1904. Over time, the Nigeria Cricket Association (NCA) was established, with expatriates and indigenous individuals forming their associations in 1932 and 1933, respectively.
Finally, the NCA’s indigenous and foreign-based organizations joined in 1957, and in 2006 it took on the name Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF).
Nigeria took the initiative to create a sub-regional organization in the 1960s, which led to the creation of the West Africa Cricket Federation (WACF), which has its headquarters in Nigeria. The WACF later evolved into the West Africa Cricket Conference (WACC) in 1976. Nigeria was granted Associate Membership of the ICC in 2002, marking a significant milestone for the country’s cricketing ambitions.
Nigeria has a rich cricket history, having played against its neighbor Ghana numerous times since its first match in 1904. In fact, Rex Akpofure made history in 1959 becoming the first Nigerian to captain a joint team of expatriates and locals in a series against Ghana.
Nigerians also played against the Gambia and Sierra Leone in a quadrangular tournament that began in 1976. Nigeria hosted the first edition of the match and went on to win the first ten editions from 1976 to 1997.
The Nigerian team ventured beyond West Africa, touring East Africa in 1973 and playing in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia. In addition, the NCA organized training tours of England in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) visited Nigeria three times in 1976, 1994, and 2004.
However, in 1994, the MCC lost to Nigeria for the first time in West Africa, experiencing a crushing defeat by three wickets in the first of a two-match series.
Since 2000, Nigeria has participated in ICC qualifying tournaments and the ICC World Cricket League series, continuing to develop its cricketing skills and make a name for itself on the international stage.
