The Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) will turn its attention to the hosting

of the 3rd edition of the National Club Championship to close what has turned

out to be a very interesting cricket season.

 

Still basking in the glow of both the 2008 London Nigerians Cricket Club Tour

and the 2nd edition of the North-West Africa Cricket Championships (NWACC),

the Federation has announced that the following two clubs have automatic

qualification for the final stages of the National Club Championships; Lagos

Asians Cricket Club (LACC), winner of the CCC League in Lagos and Integrity

Force Cricket Club, winner of the Edo League in Benin.

 

They will be joined by two other clubs who will emerge from play-offs over

the next three weeks. The North-West zonal play-off will be settled between

Crocodiles Club of Kaduna and Cricket Club of Abuja (CCA) in a best of three

encounter commencing from Sunday 18th, May, 2008 at the National Stadium

Cricket Oval, Abuja. The second encounter takes place at the Ahmadu Bello  

University (ABU) cricket oval on Sunday 25th May, 2008.

 

If no winner emerges from the two encounters, a third match will be played

and the venue decided by a toss between Abuja and Zaria on Sunday 1st June,

2008.

 

The South-East/South-South zonal play-offs will be played among the representative

clubs of Imo State, Anambra State and Rivers State before the end of May, 2008

at Owerri in Imo State.

 

The finals of the championship are expected to be played from 6th to 8th June, 2008

at the National Stadium cricket oval in Abuja.

 

The first two editions of the championship were won by Foundation Cricket Club of Lagos.

 

The NCF disclosed it is in discussion towards awarding sponsorship of the event

to a corporate but is not in apposition to confirm whether the sponsorship would

commence from the 2008 edition.