A magnificent unbeaten even hundred from Uthe Ogbimi was not enough to see Fegocowosa CC to victory over GCI Old Boys at the TBS Oval last Saturday. Winning the toss for the third time in a row, skipper Roland Ilube lost no time in electing to bat first once again, and it was the old trio of skipper himself, Obo Omoigui and Uthe Ogbimi who proved to be the backbone of the Warri batting. Although Roland and Obo succumbed after good starts, Uthe pressed on and reached his century with a superbly struck boundary off the the last ball of the innings. 188-7 looked a competitive score off 40 overs, if perhaps 10-20 runs short of what might have been.
Once again the early bowling was a little loose, but a fortuitous wicket for Friday Udoh, a superb catch on the boundary by Austin Alikali and a cracking delivery from Michael Agbiboa left GCI rocking at 32-3. However Kunle Adegbola and Wale Adeoye combined for a 60 run partnership to turn the tide against us. The water break brought another twist as Frank Omozejele found Wale's edge and then Kunle ran himself out to put the game back in the balance. It looked like Osita Onwuzulike would see GCI home until spinner Emmanuel Olowookere chipped in with two lbw verdicts, and when the last man came in for the Ibadan side, 18 runs were still required for victory. The Warri bowlers huffed and puffed, but could not blow the house down and a miscued chip for two finally broke our hearts in the 36th over.
This was really a game we should have closed out, and the bitter after-taste will remain for some time to come.
Saturday, 28 November 2009
Monday, 16 November 2009
Points on the board
At the second time of asking, Fegocowosa CC managed to put some points on the board following our encounter with Foundation Cricket Club at TBS yesterday.
Roland Ilube won the toss and once again elected to bat. 5 of the top 6 batsmen got to double figures against a friendly FCC attack, but only Obo Omoigui (46) and Friday Udoh (29) were able to push on. At one stage a total in excess of 220 looked on the cards, but our lower order fell away and we just squeezed past 200, being bowled out for 202 with 9 balls of our 45 overs left unused.
Dolapo Gafar came at us hard from the off when FCC replied, racing to 50 off just 44 balls as our seamers struggled to bowl a consistent line. The game turned when the back-up pairing of Frank Omozejele and Femi Oduyebo were introduced and managed to instill some discipline in the bowling. Frank trapped Gafar lbw and after that we were able to turn the screw. Frank finished with 3-31 and Femi Olayiwole swept up the tail with 4-15 as FCC were dismissed for 146, giving us an invaluable first win of the season
Roland Ilube won the toss and once again elected to bat. 5 of the top 6 batsmen got to double figures against a friendly FCC attack, but only Obo Omoigui (46) and Friday Udoh (29) were able to push on. At one stage a total in excess of 220 looked on the cards, but our lower order fell away and we just squeezed past 200, being bowled out for 202 with 9 balls of our 45 overs left unused.
Dolapo Gafar came at us hard from the off when FCC replied, racing to 50 off just 44 balls as our seamers struggled to bowl a consistent line. The game turned when the back-up pairing of Frank Omozejele and Femi Oduyebo were introduced and managed to instill some discipline in the bowling. Frank trapped Gafar lbw and after that we were able to turn the screw. Frank finished with 3-31 and Femi Olayiwole swept up the tail with 4-15 as FCC were dismissed for 146, giving us an invaluable first win of the season
Sunday, 8 November 2009
Close....but not close enough
Fegocowosa CC went down fighting in their opening game of the 2009/10 CCC league season yesterday at the TBS Oval. The encounter with defending champions, Ibeju-Lekki CC, was a historic affair, being the first every organised cricket match in Nigeria in coloured clothing, and it turned out to be a match worthy of the occasion.
The Warri boys won the toss and decided to bat first in their all green strip. As expected the Ibeju bowlers were a handful with the new ball, and both openers fells to Seye Olympio within the first ten overs. The old stagers, Roland Ilube and Uthe Ogbimi, combined to steady the ship, taking us to 59-2 after 16 overs, but the water break changed things in favour of the yellow-clad Lekki squad. Uthe and Oduyebo fell to Leke Oyede in successive balls, and when Roland gloved a lifter from Bejide 3 overs later, we were in the mire at 66-5. Femi Olayiwole and Prosper Mgbanwa took us to within sight of the 100 mark, but after Prosper departed, Saheed Akolade returned to polish off the tail, leaving us 127 all out in 40.3 overs.
No one outside of our squad though this would be enough, but an early run-out exposed the much-vaunted Ibeju middle order to Michael Agbiboa - the delta express - in full cry. A high-class spell of fast bowling saw him claim 4 wickets in 6 overs, three of them clean-bowled, and the champions were rocking at 21-5. Oduyebo chipped in with one more before the score got to 50, but the lunch break gave Ibeju a chance to regroup, and after the restart Bejide (45*) and Oyede (40) put together the game-turning partnership. Olayiwole finally got rid of Oyede just before the end, and if another catch had been held straight after, we might still have pulled off a famous victory. As it was, we were left to ponder what might have been.
The Warri boys won the toss and decided to bat first in their all green strip. As expected the Ibeju bowlers were a handful with the new ball, and both openers fells to Seye Olympio within the first ten overs. The old stagers, Roland Ilube and Uthe Ogbimi, combined to steady the ship, taking us to 59-2 after 16 overs, but the water break changed things in favour of the yellow-clad Lekki squad. Uthe and Oduyebo fell to Leke Oyede in successive balls, and when Roland gloved a lifter from Bejide 3 overs later, we were in the mire at 66-5. Femi Olayiwole and Prosper Mgbanwa took us to within sight of the 100 mark, but after Prosper departed, Saheed Akolade returned to polish off the tail, leaving us 127 all out in 40.3 overs.
No one outside of our squad though this would be enough, but an early run-out exposed the much-vaunted Ibeju middle order to Michael Agbiboa - the delta express - in full cry. A high-class spell of fast bowling saw him claim 4 wickets in 6 overs, three of them clean-bowled, and the champions were rocking at 21-5. Oduyebo chipped in with one more before the score got to 50, but the lunch break gave Ibeju a chance to regroup, and after the restart Bejide (45*) and Oyede (40) put together the game-turning partnership. Olayiwole finally got rid of Oyede just before the end, and if another catch had been held straight after, we might still have pulled off a famous victory. As it was, we were left to ponder what might have been.
Friday, 6 November 2009
The age of colour is here
Tomorrow the 2009/10 CCC league season commences and Fegocowosa CC are privileged to be playing the opening match in the 1st division. This is not just any match...it will be the first EVER match to be played in coloured clothing in Nigeria. The club kit has arrived and is shown here being modelled by a professional kit model.
We have a tough opening challenge againstIbeju-Lekki CC, the reigning league and national champions. We will go in as underdogs, but with no fear...
...let the games begin
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