18th NSF: Rivers Cricket Team Targets Gold Medal

The Rivers State Cricket Association says they are determined to make the state proud at the forth-coming 18th National Sports Festival scheduled to hold between November and December in Lagos.

Chief Coach of the association, Tonye Timinadi stated this in an interview with Tidesports at the weekend in Port Harcourt.

According to him, the team has been training very hard to ensure that they win gold in the cricket event at the festival.

“As I speak to you my players are in intensive training, because it is only effective training that can guarantee victory. Besides, we don’t want to wait for the state’s second phase camping exercise”, Timinadi said.

The coach used the forum to urge other coaches to keep their athletes busy in terms of training, saying that athletes are expected to train very well in preparation for the festival.

“I advise my fellow coaches to prepare their athletes through effective and efficient training to enable the state defend its title during the 18th edition of the NSF.

“Most times it is lack of adequate preparation by athletes that gives rise to dismal performance in competitions,” he stated.

Coach Timinadi, said his players were currently training at Enitonia High School field, in Borikiri axis of Port Harcourt as the state was yet to have a good cricket pitch.