End of Round One

The Fegocowosa Cricket Club ended the first phase of their league campaign today with a comprehensive 8-wicket victory over bottom-of-the-table Howzat Dolphins. All we can do now is wait and see who will join us in the four-team second phase which will determine who ultimately gains promotion to Division 1.

Slightly worryingly, the Delta boys were again slow out of the blocks after having been asked to bowl by their opponents. However once Tade made the first breakthrough, Femi Olayiwole (2-30) and Friday Udoh (4-19) worked their way steadily through the brittle Dolphins batting line-up. Friday in particular was in good form, carrying on from where he had left off at the recently concluded National Sports Festival. Dolphins were dismissed for a round 80 in the end and Friday then showed his all round skills, leading us home within just 8 overs with an unbeaten 27, despite the loss of two quick wickets at the other end.

So the first task is complete, pretty much according to plan apart from the hiccough against Ibeju Lekki 2, but now we get down to the business end of proceedings, and we will need to tighten up all aspects of our game in order to achieve our goal.

Spinners put the train back on track

After the debacle in the last match, it was important for the boys to bounce back in today's game against the youthful Unilag team. Skipper won the toss and urged the boys to make full use of the 40 overs available, but it was a case of "do as I say not as I do" as he found himself back in the pavilion in just the 3rd over. With three wickets down in the first ten overs, it seemed like the guys were still suffering with a hangover from the last match, but Femi Oduyebo reeled off his third score of 60+ in succession, ably supported by the lower-middle order, and a 24-run flurry from Erabor - making his debut for the season- took us to a commanding total of 267-8.

It seemed like the bowlers expected the Unilag boys to roll over and die, as they bowled without consistency and purpose in the first 15 overs, enabling the students to put together a 90-run opening stand. Femi Olayiwole finally made the breakthrough with a sharp caught & bowled, and then it was over to the spinners. Emmanuel worked his way steadily through the Unilag batting card, finishing with a tremendous return of 6-30, while Roland squeezed them from the other end. It was left to CY Djebah to bring things to a close, his first and only delivery causing panic amongst the last pair, resulting in a sharp run-out to give us a 128-run victory