Nigeria for African Cricket congress

A three-man delegation of the Nigeria Cricket Association[NCA] is now in Johannesburg for the 2004 congress of the Arican Cricket Association which begins today in the South African capital. The delegation led by the NCA Chairman Dr. John Abebe,also includes the association's first Vice-Chairman Chuma Anosike and another board member Olisa Egwuatu.  The team will be joining their counterparts from other African cricket-playing nations to deliberate on
issues affecting the development of cricket on the continent and ratify modalities for Africa zone of the
World Cup qualifying seris billed for next August in Lusaka, Zambia.

      Speaking in an interview with nigeriasports.com just before the delegation's departure for
Johannesburg, Dr. Abebe disclosed that the meeting will afford the NCA an opportunity to formally tabled its bid for hosting rights of the 2005 ACA congress.

      "Nigeria will be there to discuss a wide range of issues,"he began."Most importantly,we want to make
a formal proposal to host next year's edition of the congress,and we are looking at either Abuja or Lagos
as venue.

       "Hosting such an important event will allow us to showcase our potentials to other member-countries, especially the Test-playing nations who might want to offer one form of assistance or the other."

        He further revealed that the NCA will be tabling its development programme activities before
the congress for appraisal,while stressing that audience would be sought with some countries on the
feasibility of arranging playing tours and international friendlies.

        He explained:"It is a very good opportunity to let them know about what we have been doing in term of youth development and the financial aspect of it .Obviously we have been funding this game without government suport,for instance this very trip to South Africa is self-sponsored.

       "Efforts made so far at further luring sponsors for competitions,such as the MTN Kanga Cricket for
school boys which comes up in a month's time,including the novel 20-20 overs tournament named after the late Rex Akpofure,are classical examples."

       These programmes,according to the NCA boss, together with the proposed South-South competition to be bankrolled by the Niger Delta Development Commission[NDDC]are to be highlighted as programmes
for the remaining part of the season.

   By Dipo Okubanjo 

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