The finals of the National women’s cricket championship 7th edition gets underway as various teams square up for battle of the highest female championship award in the country. 5 teams had earlier qualified from 5 zones across the country with FCT gaining automatic qualification to make it 2 teams from North Central and the 6th team in the tournament.
Teams arrived on the 16th of November and a pre-tournament meeting was held to intimate teams with the rules and guidelines for the championship as well as conducting the draws for the games.
The draws was conducted by a ballot system with 2 groups named A and B and the 2 pitches were also provided named 1 and 2
GROUP A (Pitch 1) GROUP B (Pitch 2)
- Oyo State Kaduna State
- Niger State F.C.T
- Edo State Anambra State
Matches were played at the same time in both pitches.
Game 1 (pitch 1) Group A
Oyo State vs Niger State
Niger State won the toss and elected to bat first scoring a total of 67 runs all out in 16 overs.
In the second innings, Oyo State chased down the score easily recording a score of 69 runs for the loss of 4 wickets in 10.5 overs
Oyo State won by 6 wickets
Game 2 (Pitch 2) Group B
Anambra State vs F.C.T
Anambra State won the toss and elected to bat first and scored a total of 88 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in 20 overs
In the second innings, F.C.T scored 89 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in 15.5 overs
F.C.T won the match by 5 wickets.
Game 3 (Pitch 1) Group A
Edo State vs Oyo State
This was the result of the day with the biggest upset coming in the most unpredictable manner. Edo State having defeated the defending champions Rivers state in the preliminary stage was regarded as the tournament favorite until Oyo struck.
Edo State won the toss and elected to bat first and recorded a surprising score of 95 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in 20 overs.
In the second innings, Oyo state comfortably chased down the score to record 96 runs for the loss of 1 wicket in just 13 overs.
A superb spell from Kafayat ……saw 3 key batsmen for Edo State fall in her last crucial over of the match taking her wicket tally to 5 in the competition just after 2 games
Oyo State won by 9 wickets and qualified for the semi-finals
Game 4 (Pitch 2) Group B
F.C.T vs Kaduna State
Kaduna State won the toss and elected to Bat scoring a total of 121 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in 20 overs.
In the second innings, F.C.T put up a decent score of 101 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in 20 overs
Kaduna State won by 20 runs and qualified for the semi-finals
Second semi-final qualification slot in group A’ will be between Edo State and Niger State while in group B’ Anambra state will battle F.C.T for a place in the semi-finals.
Point distribution table
GROUP A
| S/N | TEAMS | GAMES PLAYED | WON | DRAW | LOSE | POINT |
| 1 | Oyo State | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2 | Edo State | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 3. | Niger State | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
GROUP B
| S/N | TEAMS | GAMES PLAYED | WON | DRAW | LOSE | POINT |
| 1 | Kaduna State | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2 | F.C.T | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 3. | Anambra State | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Oyo state will play the winners of the match between F.C.T and Anambra state in the first semi-finals while Kaduna State will play the winners between Edo State and Niger State in the second semi-finals of the day
Game 5 (pitch 1)
Edo State vs Niger State
Edo state won the toss and elected to bat scoring a total of 160 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in 20 overs.
In the second innings, Niger state tried to respond but could only manage a meager score of 77 all out in 18 overs
Top Performer in the batting effort for Edo State was Captain Samantha Agazuma with 78 runs not out making her the top scorer so far in the tournament.
Edo State won by 83 runs.
Game 6 (Pitch 2)
Kaduna State vs Anambra State
Kaduna State won the toss and elected to bat and scored a total of 149 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in 20 overs.
In the second innings, Anambra State responded by scoring 57 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in 20 overs.
Kaduna State won by 92 runs.
FINAL GROUP ‘A” TABLE
| S/N | TEAMS | GAMES PLAYED | WON | DRAW | LOSE | POINT |
| 1 | Oyo State | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2 | Edo State | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 3. | Niger State | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
FINAL GROUP ‘B’ TABLE
| S/N | TEAMS | GAMES PLAYED | WON | DRAW | LOSE | POINT |
| 1 | Kaduna State | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2 | F.C.T | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 3. | Niger State | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
1st semi-finals (Pitch 1)
Kaduna State vs Edo State
Kaduna State won the toss and elected to bat first. Early scare for Kaduna state as they lost 3 wickets in 4 overs before Captain Ngozi Blessing steadied the ship to help her team record a decent score of 124 runs for the loss of 4 wickets in 20 overs,
In the second innings, Edo state responded with good fight but fell short of the required total by scoring a total of 116 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in 20 overs.
Kaduna State won by 8 runs.
2nd semi -finals (Pitch 2)
FCT vs Oyo State
Oyo State won the toss and elected to field sending in FCT to Bat. FCT scored a total of 128 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in 25 overs.
In the second innings, surprisingly Oyo State could not put up a decent chase and could only manage a total score of 68 runs all out in 17.5 overs.
FCT won the by 60 runs.
Finals: Kaduna State vs FCT
3rd place match: Edo state vs Oyo State