Nigeria Set For World Cricket League

The Technical Director,

Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), Olisa Egwuatu, has said that the senior male cricket team was being physically and mentally prepared for the World Cricket League (WCL) in Malaysia.

The  team is camped in Abuja to prepare for the WCL, Division 5, holding from March 4 to 14.

Egwuatu told newsmen in Lagos  that the federation had acquired the services of psychologists, as part of its efforts to adequately prepare the players ahead of the tournament.

According to him, the federation acquired a bowling machine that will enhance the batting speed of the cricketers, and they are also being trained in spin bowling.

“Camping is ok and the cricketers are working hard each day while the coaches are ensuring that the players are on their toes.

“With the bowling machine, batsmen are being trained on improving their speed to respond to the ball, while our bowlers are being trained in spin bowling.

“The main aim of spin bowling is to ensure that the ball is bowled with rapid rotation, so that when it bounces on the pitch, it will deviate from its normal straight path.

“This makes it difficult for the batsman to hit the ball cleanly,” he said.

The technical director said that Abuja was chosen as camp because its weather conditions suited that of Malaysia in the month of March.

“In March, Malaysia will be humid and sunny, so we decided to camp them in Abuja, where there will be lesser rainfall.

“Also, it presents an environment in which there is less disturbance for the cricketers,” Egwuatu said.

The team qualified for the WCL, Division 5, after it emerged second at the Division 6 in Jersey in 2013.

The other countries that will take part in the competition are: Jersey, Tanzania, Cayman Island, Guernsey and host country, Malaysia.