Olayiwole out of World Cup

Olayiwole, captain of the  Nigerian national side in the last couple of years, was among the few big names missing out of the 14-man list that includes four foreign and  10 home-based players.

The foreign-based cricketers, all resident in England, are veteran Obruthe Ugbimi, Babatayo Okusanya, Roland Ilube and Makanjuola Akinyemi.

Utility player Dolapo Gaffar and fast bowler Adewale Adeoye, both of the  2004 league controversial champions, Foundation Cricket Club, including Michael Omoigui, Endurance Ofem, Adekunle Adegbola and Ovie Osuaso are some of the home-based players.

Others include Oluwaseun Odeku, Haruna Thomas,and debutants Joshua Ogunlola and Ademola Onikoyi.

The team will be accompanied by three officials. These are the Team Manager Chuma Anosike who is the first Vice-Chairman of the Nigeria Cricket Association; Coach Olisa Egwuatu and an umpire Dr. Michael Ayivor.

Speaking on the rationale behind the selection of the Nigerian team to Zambia,Egwuatu who is taking taking full charge of the national squad for the very first time said the selection was made on merit.

 He told nigeriasports.com:"Basically, we picked the team on form, we did not consider any other non-cricketing qualifications.The team has a blend of youth and experience.

"We have Omoigui,we have Ugbimi,there is Roland Ilube,Wale Adeoye and Okusanya to give the team experience.And these are players that have been excelling in the league and they are experienced international players.

"On the other hand,we have a bunch of young boys,Kunle Adegbola,Endurance Ofem ,Ademola Onikoyi,Joshua Ogunlola,Ovie Osuaso,they are the base of the team now.

"The only two new players are Onikoyi and Ogunlola,they are just coming into the team.And Ogunlola has been the prime bowler in the country for two years;Onikoyi scored a century in Namibia and he's doing well."

 Remarkably though,ten of the selected players were at the 2003 African Cricket Association Championship in Zambia where they got exposed to the modern turf playing surface.

Six nations including Nigeria, Botswana,Namibia, Tanzania, Uganda and hosts Zambia are taking part in the World Cup Regional Qualifier which holds from August 1-8 in Lusaka.

The teams will engage themselves in round-robin series of matches,while the winner and the runner-up qualify to join 10 others, who must have qualified from five other zonal affiliates of the International Cricket Council,to play in the 2005 ICC Trophy scheduled to hold in Ireland.

The top five finishers at the ICC  Trophy will book their tickets to the West Indies where the world cricket ruling body plans to stage its World Cup for 2007.

Fixtures for Nigerian matches at the World Cup series in Zambia:

     August  2   -  Nigeria  vs  Namibia

     August  3  -  Zambia  vs   Nigeria

     August  4  -  Uganda  vs  Nigeria

     August  6  -  Nigeria  vs  Tanzania

     August  7  -  Nigeria  vs  Botswana