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

The struggle continues

Fegocowosa CC's difficult start to the season continued today at the TBS oval as they succumbed to a 4-wicket defeat at the hands of a powerful GCI Old Boys side in their latest warm-up match. Unlike the previous two friendlies, the Federal boys had first go with the bat and their top order struggled to get going against some probing bowling from the Ibadan boys. When skipper Roland Ilube was 5th out in the 26th over with less than 60 on the board, questions were being asked as to whether the team could break the 100 mark, but a late flourish from Femi Olayiwole (28) and James Imhanlahimi (20*) took us to a final total of 155-9 off our allotted 40 overs.

Friday Udoh was again dangerous with the new ball, and got the first breakthrough in the third over, and when Biodun Abioye took the second wicket with his second ball, GCI were looking uncertain at 37-2. Biodun picked up a couple more, but Ramit was beginning to look ominous at the other end, aided by some indifferent umpiring and fielding. Chimezie Onwuzulike joined him at 90-4 for what was to be the match-winning partnership, and even though A-Roy Ororho finally disposed of Ramit (79) and one more, Chimezie held firm to finish on 33* and guide GCIOB to victory with 10 overs to spare.

More work to do

Fegocowosa CC put up a spirited performance in their friendly encounter with defending league champions - Ibeju-Lekki I CC - last Sunday, but it wasn't enough to avoid a 45-run defeat. Once again, Roland Ilube won the toss and invited his opponents to bat. The four-prong pace attack put in an excellent display while the shine was on the ball, and reduced the much-vaunted Ibeju batting line-up to 90-4, with Friday Udoh and Biodun Abioye in particular moving the ball prodigiously. However, the Ibeju player-coach, Shaun Phillips, then found an ally in Lekan Awolowo, and as the ball grew old and the sun beat down, this pair put together what would prove to be a match-winning partnership. They took the score past 200 before Lekan departed for 30, but Shaun kept going, taking a particular shine to Uthe Ogbimi's medium pace, and brought up a chanceless century to guide his side to an imposing total of 245-6 off 40 overs.

In reply, the Warri openers set off like a house on fire, racing to 50 inside the first 8 overs, and it looked like the Ibeju score might be well within reach, but after the breakthrough the middle order failed to get going, and when Femi Oduyebo was run out by a smart throw the Federal boys were four down with 88 on the board. Uthe and Roland rebuilt against the spinners, but the asking rate was climbing all the time and eventually Uthe had a dip at Lekan and holed out in the deep. That effectively ended the contest, although Roland (63*) batted through to the end to take the Old Boys score to an even 200 for the loss of seven wickets. So, some positives to take away before the start of hostilities proper, but still a look of work to do.

Must do better

Fegocowosa CC crashed to a 78 run defeat in their pre-season friendly against Foundation Cricket Club over the long weekend. Skipper Roland Ilube invited the opposition to bat first in a 40 over encounter, and Femi Oduyebo got an early breakthrough in the 3rd over. After that however, a steady partnership between Sukanmi and Sunday frustrated the Warri boys, and it was not until the introduction of spin in the guise of Obo Omoigui in the 16th over that the partnership was broken, with the score well past 60. The spin duo of Obo and Emmanuel kept things tight through the middle overs, and Oduyebo and Abioye bowled well in the batting pwerplay, but Sukanmi (57) kept his head throughout the innings and guided FCC to a respectable total of 170-9 at the break.

In reply the Federal innings never got going. Alikali was first to go, caught at slip of FCC skipper Oris Oruye, Obo flashed at a short one from the speedster Benjamin Anyia, and Okunade was beaten by an offcutter from Sarunmi to leave us tottering at 33-3. The middle order followed in similarly meek fashion and it was left to Emmanuel (13*) and Sesan (11), to show their more esteemed team-mates how it should be done at the end. The innings closed at 92 and we were as well slaughtered as rams at Sallah. Lots of work in the nets must be done if we are to compete this season.

Level pass Level

Fegocowosa got a taste of what life is like at the division 1 level today, in their GTA 20/20 encounter with Rocks Cricket Club at the TBS Oval.

Rain reduced the match to 15 overs a-side, and the Federal boys overcame a shaky start to post a respectable score of 98-7, thanks to 41 from Femi Oduyebo and 23 from Roland Ilube. The Rocks boys came out all guns blazing though, and the Adegbola brothers, Niyi and Yemi, seized control with some aggressive running and enterprising strokeplay. Rocks ran out winners with 8 wickets and 11 balls to spare.

So if we didn't know before that this season is going to be a whole lot tougher, then we do now. Level pass level.

The icing on the cake

A week after securing promotion to Division 1, the FGCW boys put the icing on the cake by emerging victorious in the end-of-season 6-a-sxide competition. Femi Olayiwole led the squad to victories over Lagos Indians, a strong Ibeju-Lekki team, and GCI II before clinching the final against Lagos Indians II.

It was almost a clean sweep of honours for the old boys, with Obo Omoigui named man of the the final, Amen Edebor as Keeper of the series, Friday Udoh as Fielder of the series and A-Roy bowler of the series and cricketer of the series. This performance may have made one or two of the other division 1 teams take note of our impending arrival. We do not inted to make up the numbers.

The Old Students meeting the next day in Uyi Akpata's house was a fitting venue for us to showcase our achivements, and added to a very enjoyable occasion

No vacancy

It all came down to the last game. We had to beat our promotion rivals, Ibeju Lekki 2, by a convincing margin in order to secure the division II championship and a spot in next season's 1st division.

The TBS oval was in top condition, the FGCW players gathered from far and wide. We won the toss and decided to bat. The first half of the innings was watchful, bordering on pedestrian, punctuated by the fall of two wickets. Amen Edebor joined Roland Ilube with the score just past 60, and the pair carried on from where they had left off in the last match, pushing things along to the 90 run mark. Then it was time to put the pedal to the metal as the skipper decided he was tired of running and so would hit some boundaries. The next ten overs produced nearly a hundred runs as the pair tucked into the ILCC2 attack. Roland finally departed for 88, but if our opponents thought their problems were over, they were to be disappointed. Obo Omoigui proceeded to despatch the ball with clinical precision, compiling a brutal 65* as we took our total to 279-5 off our 50 overs.

Faced with the run mountain that we had constructed, Ibeju's batsmen never really got into their stride, and Friday Udoh (4-24) swung the new ball well to effectively decide the game in the first 10 overs of their reply. Femi Oduyebo took two at the other end and it was left to Michael Agbiboa - The Delta Express - to wrap things up with the last 3 wickets. All out for 66 and victory by 213, yes I said 213 runs.

A few weeks ago the sponsor of the Ibeju team had told me that there was no vacancy for promotion to division 1 this season. He was right, this championship was always going to be ours from the start of the season.