The Nigeria U-19 Male Cricket team (AKA Junior Yellow Greens) is poised to participate in the ICC U-19 World Cup Africa Qualifier Scheduled to take place in Namibia from the 15th – 24th March 2019.
The Junior Yellow Greens started their long trek since August 2018 in Potchefstroom, South Africa where they took part in the Division 2. Qualifiers of the same tournament emerging as run-away champions. The conquest in South Africa was preceded by a pre-tournament tour in Uganda where the boys had the opportunity of playing series of trial matches with the Nation’s U-19 and U-23 sides. Nigeria were adjudged as the “Underdog” before the games began but soon became the toast of the tournament after restricting fellow West- Africa Arc rivals Ghana, to 26 runs all out to record the most impressive victory in the tournament.
Preparations for the Division 1 tournament began early in the year with 24 players invited to camp to battle for place in the team that will represent the country. After a 5-match series, a final 14-man list was drafted with 3 new entrants into the team while 3 other players from the victorious team in 2018 losing their place. The new players who made the team are Miracle Ikaigbe from Oyo State, Akhere Isesele from Edo State and Emmanuel Boniface from Kaduna State. Players who didn’t make the cut are Toeeb Obisesan, Segun Ogundipe both from Ogun State and Eghosa Aghedo from Edo State.
In a bid to ensure that the Junior Yellow Greens is adequately prepared for the task ahead, the Board of the N.C.F, for the first time in history, went the extra mile to secure a pre-tournament tour with Zimbabwe, a “test playing Nation “, and one of the giants of the sport in the Continent. The team played a 5-match series with the Nation’s U-19 team where they gained valuable experience going into the tournament.
Nigeria will begin their encounter against the host country Namibia on Sunday 17th March 2019 and will be hoping to get the tournament started on a high note. One team is expected to qualify from the lots.
COUNTRY SQUADS
NIGERIA
Sylvester Okpe, Mohammed Taiwo, Sulaimon Runsewe, Isaac Danladi, Olayinka Olaleye, Miracle Ikaige, Abdulrahman Jimoh, Peter Aho, Shehu Audu, Emmanuel Boniface, Akhere Isesele, Rasheed Abolarin, Samuel Mba, Ifeanyichukwu Uboh
KENYA
Sukhdeep Singh, Brij Patel, David Okaro, Dilan Shah, Francis Mutua, Hashit Vekaria, Jairaj Pujara,
Krushil Savla, Pradyuman Joshi, Satish Hirani, Shay Shah, Shukan Mehta, Shukraj Ghataora, Vraj Patel
NAMIBIA
Filippus Opperman, Dian Neethling, Divan la Cock, Robert Wilson, Erich Wittmann, Etienne Beukes, Henry Brink, Jan Izak de Villiers, Jan Balt, Matthew de Gouveia, Mauritius Ngupita, Mell Theunissen, Ramon Wilmot, Victor van der Watt
SIERRA LEONE
George Ngegba, John Bangura, Eric Turay, Haroun Kamara, John Lassayo, Osman Sankoh, Emmanuel Akpor, Chernor Bah, Aruna Kanessie, Charles Kargbo, Samuel Conteh, James Tommy, Edmond Ernest, James Bangura
TANZANIA
Krutik Thakkar, Kartik Sayal, Dhrumit Atul, Salimini Saidi, Abdallah Jamiri, Mohamed Issa, Abubakar Alfani, Faraji Mrope, Sefu Mokiwa, Yalinda Nkanya, Aahil Jasani, Kelvin Mbinda, Baraka Laiza, Ashish Shah
UGANDA
Frank Akankwasa, Zephania Arinaitwe, Ronald Opio, John Gabula, Trevor Bukenya, Murungi Pascal, Nuwugaba Edwin, Juma Miyagi, Ashraf Senkubuge, Munir Ismail, Smon Okecho, Ramathan Ochimi, Perry Wazombe, Cosmas Kyetuwa.
COMPLETE TOURNAMENT FIXTURES
Sunday 17 March
Wanderers – Namibia vs Nigeria
WAP – Kenya vs Uganda
Trustco United – Sierra Leone vs Tanzania
Monday 18 March
Wanderers – Uganda vs Sierra Leone
WAP – Tanzania vs Namibia
Trustco United – Nigeria vs Kenya
Tuesday 19 March
Reserve Day
Wednesday 20 March
Wanderers – Tanzania vs Kenya
WAP – Uganda vs Nigeria
Trustco United – Namibia vs Sierra Leone
Thursday 21 March
Wanderers – Nigeria vs Tanzania
WAP – Kenya vs Sierra Leone
Trustco United – Namibia vs Uganda
Friday 22 March
Rest or reserve day
Saturday 23 March
Wanderers – Kenya vs Namibia
WAP – Sierra Leone vs Nigeria
Trustco United – Uganda vs Tanzania