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The
Cricket Club of Abuja (CCA) has been given the thumbs up for ensuring
that the game of cricket remains active in the nation’s capital.
Chris
Newsom, speaking on behalf of the British community after a friendly
cricket match between the UK, Australasia and CCA members, said they
were initially unaware that there was such a club in Abuja.
“We didn’t even know the cricket club was here and the (Abuja) cricket club is better than people realise”, he said.
The
match, which was won by the Australians, was played to mark Waitangi
Day, a New Zealand national holiday and witnessed some great bowling and
batting, notably from Saad Butt, the captain of the Abuja Club.
“If
you were watching carefully, you would see a couple of good players
from the Abuja Cricket Club who are regulars here. Most players here
have been playing for 20 years,” said Newsom.
Speaking
on the Nigeria cricket team’s chances at next month’s Cricket World
Division Five Championship in Malaysia, where Nigeria will hope to
qualify to the money-spinning division four, Butt believes the team has
the talent to deliver.
“They
are preparing well. I have been watching them and just like the last
time they got promoted to division five, they play really well and they
have huge confidence. But if they believe in themselves to at least stay
in the same division then they definitely have a good chance of
qualifying. They have the players and skills of a division five, at
least.”
Chris
agrees that cricket is developing in Nigeria, especially with the
team’s promotion last year to division five, “which sounds like a tier
way down but for a small cricket community and country, that’s doing
pretty well.”
The
Nigeria Cricket Federation President, who also doubles as the President
of the Abuja club, Emeka Onyeama, says matches like this will
definitely increase relations between Nigeria and other countries.
“We’re
using cricket as a platform to improve our relationship with other
countries and I can assure you that what is going on today will bring
more for cricket in Nigeria,” he said.
Emeka
also discussed the impact the match has on Nigerian cricket. “Using
platforms like this to promote and improve cricket in Nigeria, they
(other countries) can bring us equipment and come on playing tours. As a
matter of fact, one of the Australian guys has already promised to
bring his team over here, which is a good thing for us.”
The 2014 ICC World Cricket League Division Five will take place from 6–13 March 2014
and Nigeria will battle with host Malaysia, Cayman Islands, Guernsey,
Tanzania, and Jersey for the first and second positions, which secure
qualification to Division Four. Third and fourth placed teams will
remain in Division Five 2016, while fifth and sixth will be relegated to
Division Six 2015.
More pictures below:
Chris Newsom (right and in glasses) and the rest of the team
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President of the Cricket Club of Abuja Emeka Onyeama (in red and black T shirt) thanking the players
President of the Cricket Club of Abuja Emeka Onyeama (in red and black T shirt) thanking the players
The ongoing match
The UK, Australasia and CCA compete
The UK, Australasia and CCA compete
A plaque commemorating the match
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