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
Saturday, 10 October 2009
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.
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.
Monday, 5 October 2009
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.
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.
Friday, 25 September 2009
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.
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.
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