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The U-19 cricket
team representing Nigeria in Swaziland took another step to claiming
the sole ticket for the International Cricket Council-organised world
championship qualifiers in Namibia in August by beating Mozambique on
Wednesday at the Ubombo Country Club, Swaziland.

In their third
match against the South Africans, the Nigerian team won by a whopping
245 runs to sound a note of warning to their next opponent that they
are in the Swazi kingdom for business.

The team, led by
Abiodun Abioye, won the toss and elected to bat first for the first
time in the series. The team then went ahead and notched up 269 runs
for the loss of just 7 wickets in 50 overs. Vice captain, Chukwu James,
was the top scorer for the U-19 team and he finished unbeaten on 103
runs, supported by Joshua Ayannaike with 36 runs, and Olumide Adeniran
with 20.

The team’s run-rate
was always on course, starting from 59 runs for 1 wicket after 10
overs, to 100 runs for 2 wickets after 18 overs. The runs slowed from
the 19 over with 7 runs for 5 wickets after 30 overs, then on to 193
runs for 6 wickets after 40 overs, before closing at 269 runs for 7 in
50 overs.

This is the highest team score so far at the tournament and Chukwu James also helped himself to the highest personal score.

No response from Mozambique

The Mozambican
response did not materialise, as the Nigerian bowling proved too much
to handle, and they collapsed to 24 runs all out.

Benjamin Anyia with
5 wickets for 16 runs in 8 overs, Captain Abiodun Abioye with 3 wickets
for 7 runs in 8 overs, and Usman Adebiyi with 2 wickets for 1 run, in
his only over, made sure the Nigerian team didn’t spend too much time
in the sun.

Nigeria plays its
final match in the series today against hosts, Swaziland, and another
victory will earn her promotion to the Namibia tournament in August.

If Nigeria qualifies today, countries like Namibia, Kenya, Uganda, Botswana, Tanzania, Zambia and Sierra Leone will be waiting.

In the other game
of the day, Rwanda beat hosts, Swaziland, by 5 wickets and the hosts
now have to raise their game against a rampant Nigerian side on
Thursday.

The Pepsi ICC Development Programme is another initiative of the International Cricket Council (ICC) to grow the game in Africa.