NCF Releases List For Africa U-19 Championship

The Nigeria Cricket Fed
eration (NCF) has released a 16-man list for next month’s Africa Male Under-19 Cricket Championship.
About 21 players reported to camp last week in preparation for the championship, scheduled to take place from February 13 to February 20 in Tanzania.
The list given to newsmen by the NCF in Abuja at the weekend includes Okpe Sylvester who will serve as the team’s captain and Adiamo Mojeed the cricket keeper.
Others are Akachukwu Moses, Tay Abiodun, Ahamefule Sunday, Okhide Eboehi, Igbineweka Olaye, Yussuff Mustapha and Ajekun Daniel.
Also in the list are are Olaleye Olayinka, Joseph Tabat, Onwuliri Chukwudi, Simon Samson and Ayinde Babatunde,
Doumotimi Franklin and Adewoye Dimeji.
Five players, including Obesesan Afiz (Ogun), Mgbojikwe Chukwudi (Anambra), Daniel Gim (Kaduna), Onosetale Ofenmu (Edo) and Sadiku Shakiru (Lagos) did not make the final list.
Uthe Ogbimi, Senior National Team Coach of the NCF told newsmen that the players failed to make the list not because of performance but due to their date of “birth matrix.
“Due to the late circular from the ICC concerning age matrix, we find out that out of the 21 players originally invited to camp, five of them have to go.
“Though, the players are U-19 years of age and duly qualified to play in the Africa championship.
“The new rules from ICC means that you will not just be U-19 for this tournament, you have to be U-19 by the time the U-19 World Cup takes place.
“In effect, they are asking countries to go further down the line to get probably 17-year-old players to play u-19 tournaments, this brought the screening out of five of our players.’’
According to Ogbimi who is one of the team’s selectors, Obesesan Afiz, Mgbojikwe Chukwudi and Daniel Gim will be greatly missed at the championship.
Harry Tamuno, the U-19 Head Coach and his assistant Onoja Oche as well as Obalola Tajudeen, the Team Manager will also join the train to Tanzania.
The team was expected to have departed for Kenya on Monday on a pre-tournament tour, from where it will proceed to Tanzania for the championship.