SP Josephine Ihunwo, Chairperson, Caretaker Committee, Cricket Game in Nigeria Police Force, presenting gold trophy to the captain of Zone 13 Cricket team, winner of the maiden NPF Cricket competition.
Abasifreke Effiong
Zone 13 has won its first gold trophy in the maiden Nigeria Police Cricket tournament at the on-going 13th biennial Police games holding in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state.
The Zone 13 team defeated Force Headquarters (FHQ) at the finals of the competition played on Saturday 26th November at the pitch of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly complex.
Zone 13 Cricket team posing with the Chairman, Nigeria Cricket Federation, Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Bassey Odungide during the competition.
FHQ won the toss and decided to bowl. First innings: Zone 13 scored 46 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in 5.5 overs. Second innings: FHQ scored 25 runs for the loss of 4 wickets in 6 overs.
Zone 13 won by 21 runs.
SP Josephine Ihunwo posing with the second place winner team from Force Headquarters.
In the third place game in the series, Zone 8 defeated Zone 4.
Zone 4 won the toss and decided to bat. In the first innings, Zone 4 scored 64 runs for the loss of 2 wickets in 5 overs. In the second innings, Zone 8 scored 66 runs for the loss of no wickets in 5 overs. Zone 8 won by 5 wickets.
ACP Anietie Eyoh, presenting trophy to the captain of the 2nd place winning team in the Cricket competition.
The series was watched by the representatives of the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) led by the Director, King Joseph, the Nigerian Cricket female captain, Blessing Etim and the Chairman, Nigeria Cricket Federation, Akwa Ibom state, Mr. Bassey Odungide.
Zone 8 Cricket team, 3rd place winner.
The Nigerian Cricket female captain, Blessing Etim, who gave the NCF T-shirt to the best female Player in the series, Rita Tyohemba from Zone 4 and NCF fez cap each to the best bowler, Usman Moses, from Zone 8 and best batter, Inspector James Imbazi, from Zone 13.
Officials from the Nigerian Cricket Federation presenting awards to SP Ihunwo for exceptional players in the tournament.
In a chat with newsmen Ms. Etim, said the donation was a way of encouraging the players who did well in the series.
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“The intention was to encourage each and everyone of them because I watched all of them play from the start and even during the training session. I trained some of them and I saw the passion, the love and dedication they put into the game and I was very happy. So the donation was something to just encourage them on behalf of the federation.”
She said she was impressed with the level of adaptation and skills exhibited by the players even though they were playing in a competitive for the first time.
“Their adaptation to the rules is not 100 percent but in as much as they are coming up for the first time. Again, you don’t expect anyone to adapt to something you didn’t know how to do in two or three days. However, I give them kudos for the great skills exhibited and their speed at adapting to the rules and regulations of the game.”
Blessing Etim (right) presenting the NCF shirt to the best female player, Rita Tyohemba.
The caretaker committee chairperson in-charge of Cricket in the Nigeria Police Force, SP Josephine Ihunwo, said nine Zones made entries to play in the tournament but six turned up for the competition.
She said the committee was “so so impressed with the performance of the payers.”
“It is the first time we are having Cricket as one of the games in this biennial event, but I can tell you that Cricket has come to stay in the Nigeria Police games. I am very much happy with the zones that turn up. I am equally encouraging other zones to come up because Cricket is a game everyone will love to play. It is a game of IQ, a game of love and there are a lot of opportunities in the game.”
SP Ihunwo said they have identified exceptional talents in the course of the tournament.
