By Akanimo Kufre
Joy Peter and Emmanuel Anyanwu were the cynosoure of all eyes on Thursday,during the action packed first day of the NCF/PwC U17 Cricket Championship finals for boys and girls in Abuja.
Joy Peter batted 62 runs to help the North West Female team defeat the North East by 163 runs.
Joy also dismissed Northeast players as she took 3 wickets. She was crowned the undisputed Player of the Match on Match Day 1.
In the male category, Emmanuel Anyanwu from South East Zone distinguished himself as a potential prolific cricket batter when he played 43 runs off 74 balls.
However, his teammate Chinonso Okwor, recorded 3 dismissals to win the Player of the Match award.
Nigeria cricket administrators have decided to use the 5th Edition of the PwC-sponsored championship to improve the male player’s tolerance on the cricket pitch by introducing longer overs from a tender age.
The male finals previously were in T20 format but are now 35 over games.
Day 1 Results
FEMALE
NORTHWEST 212/6
(20 overs)
NORTH EAST 49/10 (11.5)
North West won by 163 runs
NORTH CENTRAL 96/10 (18.0)
SOUTH WEST. 99/2 (11.0)
South West won by 8 wickets.
MALE
NORTH EAST. 72/10 (15.2 overs)
SOUTH WEST 73/0 (6.1)
South West won by 10 wickets
SOUTH EAST. 143/10 (31.1)
NORTH CENTRAL 43/10 (15.5)
South East won by 100 runs.