Former cricketers on Saturday lauded the Nigeria Cricket Federation for hosting the ongoing ICC World T20 North-Western qualifiers at the Tafawa Balewa Square cricket Oval in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ghana, Gambia, Sierra Leone and host, Nigeria are featuring in the tournament.
Tayo Atoloye, who played in the national team for 12 years, said there had been a positive change in the sport since the inception of the new board last year.
Atoloye, who is the Vice-Chairman of the Oyo State Cricket Association, said that it was long overdue for the country to host an ICC event, adding that the effort of the NCF had paid off.
He said: “There is a lot of development in the administration of cricket in the past few months which is a positive sign for the sport.
“The board has gone the extra mile to ensure the country hosts this event for the first time in our history because it is long overdue to host an ICC competition.”
Also, Barnaby Ephraim, a former international, said that the current NCF board had proved their determination to move the sport to the next level by hosting the North-Western ICC qualifiers.
Ephraim said: “This is fantastic and the atmosphere is awesome because the country is hosting this event for the first time.
“This is the highest point for Nigerian cricket and the board is really working hard to move cricket where it used to be.’’
In the same vein, Chuka Ahuchogu, who played his first match for the country against Ghana in 1988, praised the NCF board for giving the venue a facelift.
Ahuchogu said the ongoing qualifiers had brought the sport to limelight in the country.
He said: “Hosting this competition has brought both the old and young cricketers together, I visited the TBS oval few weeks ago but I am impressed with what I am seeing now.”
NAN reports that the qualifiers will end on the April 22.
Two teams will qualify from the region to participate in the main Africa qualifiers in 2019.
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