BRFCC booked their place in the final of 10th Express Discount Limited knockout series competition by dispatching Federal Government College Warri Old Boys Cricket Club by 5 wickets at the Unilag Cricket Oval.
BRFCC made it to another final in a space of 7 days after dispatching Federal Government College Warri Old Boys Cricket Club by 5 wickets in the semi-final of Express Discount Limited Knockout series competition.
The Roland Ilube’s side won the toss & elected to bat first, scoring 157 runs all out in 33.5 overs.
Opening batsman Austin Alikali and Emmanuel Okwudili both scored 38 runs respectively while the duo of Femi Oduyebo and Olanbiwonnu Kehinde also had 18 and 16 runs respectively.
The Warri based side displayed great batting when she defeated defending champion Government College Ibadan Old Boys Cricket Club last weekend at the Tafawa Balewa Cricket Oval by 4 wickets but found it hard to cope with the bowling attack of Joshua Ogunlola, Leke Oyede, Akolade Saheed and Captain Sean Phillips who all look two wickets each to make life unbearable for their opponents in the batting crease.
Despite spinner Olanbiwonnu Kehinde’s 4 wickets for 21 runs in 7 overs, it was not enough to save his team from a defeat. Opening batsman for BRFCC Solebo Femi topped with 64 runs not-out off 95 balls which also included three (4’s) and two (6’s) while his effort was complemented by Vice-Captain of BRFCC who also is the newly elected Captain of Nigeria’s Cricket National team, Endurance Ofem (23 runs) and Leke Oyede (22 runs not out) as the unbeaten side posted 160 runs for loss of 5 wickets in 30 overs.
Captain Sean Phillips’ team have now played 11 games to still remain unbeaten in all competitions this season. Both teams who also have a date to keep in the final of the Iris Smart Technology Club Cricket Committee League Super 4 on the 20th of March 2011 at the Tafawa Balewa Cricket Oval, gave Cricket fans a taste of what could be expected on that day.
One would have thought the absence of defending champion GCIOBCC in the final will make it a stroll in the park for BRFCC but with yesterday’s display by FGCWOBCC one is assured of an interesting game.
LAGOS ASIANS CRICKET CLUB MAKE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS LABOUR FOR WIN
Lagos Asians Cricket Club made defending champion Government College Ibadan Old Boys Cricket Club work hard for their place in the final where they would confront League Champions BRFCC.
The Oluwaseun Odeku team set an intimidating 256 runs for loss of 8 wickets in 35 overs after a superb 86 runs from Obed Harvey, Captain Odeku Seun 48runs, Adegbola Kunle 24 runs, Chimezie Onwuzulike 20 runs and Osita Onwuzulike 19 runs not out.
Sharma took 2 wickets for 30 runs in 4 overs just as Yawar 2 wickets, 40 runs, I maiden in 7 overs while Sominoni for LACC also had 2-44.
In reply, Happy hit seven fours and six sixes in 83 runs but bowler Obed Harvey took 3-16 as the Asians were all out for 228 for 9 wickets.
Yawar, Mundhra and Darhoe for the relegated Asians contributed 40 runs, 24 runs and 19 runs respectively to the total score put on board but the duo of Tayo Okusanya & new invitee into Nigerian Cricket National team’s set-up Gill Ramit both had 2 wickets each for GCIOBCC as the champions of last season bounced back from last weekend’s Super 4 Semi-Final loss to Federal Government College Warri Old Boys Cricket Club.
For a while in that match it was all Happy, Lagos Asians Cricket Club middle order batsman who made spinner Osita Onwuzulike’s bowling look ordinary by hitting him for fours and sixes thereby considering attending a coaching clinic on spinning from the experts.
Just as Foundation Cricket Club tried to cause an upset in their Quarter-final fixture against the Ibadan based side the same thing almost happened this weekend at the Unilag Cricket Oval where their Semi-Final game against Lagos Asians Cricket Club who had Captain Ricky Sharma absent .
But for the Championship stuff the Oluwaseun Odeku team parades it would have been a bitter pill in their mouth to swallow missing out on another major final. The stage is now set for a repeat of what happened during the 9th Express Discount Limited knockout Series Competition where GCIOBCC emerged Champions. Certainly this would be a different ball game entirely which would be hard for anyone to predict.
No comments:
Post a Comment