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ABUJA CC UPSETS KADUNA CROCODILES FOR NATIONAL CRICKET CLUBS CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS | (2008-06-05 )

The Abuja Cricket Club has qualified for the finals

of the National Cricket Club Championship to be held in Abuja.

The Abuja club qualified at the expense of last year’s runner-up, Crocodiles

Club of Kaduna in a pulsating three-match encounter that had to be decided

with the third match. Abuja had drawn first blood with a 4-wicket victory in the

first match played at the National Stadium oval in Abuja on 18th May, 2008.

In the second match played at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) oval in Zaria,

on the 25th May, Crocodiles Club of Kaduna rallied back and inflicted a 5-wicket

defeat on visiting Abuja Club. Abuja CC batted first and were 101 all out in 38

overs with Peter their top-scorer with an unbeaten 33, getting support from

Ravi (16) and Amit (13).

Emmanuel Gowon of Crocodiles took 2 wickets for 9 runs in 8 overs and was

joined by Dahiru Enesi who took 2 for 7 in 5 overs to restrict the Abuja side to

what was a low score.

Crocodiles Club responded with 102 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in 22 overs

making short work of the target set. Once again, the batting responsibility fell on

the shoulders of veteran Yahaya Ukwenya who got 19 runs batting at the top of

the order and Dahiru Enesi with an unbeaten 23.

Crocodiles thus won by 5 wickets and the match had to go into the rubber with the

toss deciding that Zaria would once again be the venue. Crocodiles would have

fancied their chances playing at home but alas it was not to be!

The final match was played on the 1st June and Abuja made sure they had the

services of their own veteran, former Nigerian player, Ladipo Idowu who flew in

from Lagos for the match.

Abuja batted first and once again were restricted to a low score of 117 runs all out

in 36 overs by the Crocodiles bowlers. At this stage, Crocodiles must have felt they

had the match in their grasp!

Obinna and Aderibigbe wrought havoc on the Abuja batting with figures of 3 for 26

in 10 overs and 6 for 24 in 7 overs respectively.

However victory evaded the Crocodiles team as they were bowled out for 87 runs

in 31 overs with only Dahiru Enesi(14) and T. Lekwot(17) getting into double figures.

The Abuja bowling attack reinforced with the presence of Ladipo Idowu was on top

and A. Martins with 4 for 16 in 7 was the star performer assisted by Ladipo Idowu with

3 for 27 in 8 overs and E. Matthew with 2 for 18 in 9.5 overs.

Abuja CC thus qualify for the finals of the National Cricket Club Championship now

rescheduled to 27th to 29th June in Abuja.