Sports Groove

By Mishael Emmanuel        Rwanda maintained their unbeaten run at the Nigeria Women Invitational T20I Tournament with a composed six-wicket victory over hosts Nigeria at the Tafawa Balewa Square Cricket Oval on Tuesday. In a highly anticipated encounter, Nigeria struggled to build momentum after opting to bat, eventually getting bowled out for 90 in 19.1 overs.  Despite a promising start, the hosts failed to convert key moments into a competitive total, leaving Rwanda with a modest target to chase. Rwanda’s disciplined approach in the field proved decisive. Their bowlers applied consistent pressure, while sharp fielding further restricted Nigeria’s scoring opportunities. A standout moment came when captain Diane Bimenyimana produced a brilliant catch that halted Nigeria’s progress at a crucial stage. Chasing 91 for victory, Rwanda showed resilience and composure throughout their innings.  They carefully managed the chase, navigating pressure si...

Morne Morkel has become the latest former Proteas star to win a World Cup with India. Morkel is the bowling coach of the India team that thrashed New Zealand in the T20 World Cup final in Ahmedabad on Sunday.  The former Proteas fast bowler, who played 247 matches and took 544 wickets for South Africa, has proved to be hugely popular among the Indian players since joining head coach Gautam Gambhir’s staff in August 2024. India have a long history in hiring former Proteas who have guided them to World Cup glory.  Former opening batter Gary Kirsten famously masterminded India’s 2011 ODI World Cup success on home soil. Former Proteas batter Gary Kirsten famously led India to the 2011 ODI World Cup title. Part of Kirsten’s coaching staff was former Proteas allrounder Eric Simons, who like Morkel performed the bowling coach duties. South African-born mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton was also a key component of the 2011 India coaching staff. The current Indian coach...

...As Dr. Osetoba, pays glowing tribute to the bedrock of cricket in the State, Honourable Oyebode By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye and Mishael Emmanuel      The gentleman's game of cricket is no longer whispering in Ekiti State, it is roaring and the sound echoes beyond the State. In a state where dreams are steadily being rebuilt through sport, the Technical Adviser on Sports Development to Governor Abiodun Oyebanji, Dr. Olusola Osetoba, has paid glowing tribute to the man she calls the bedrock of cricket in the state, Honourable Akin Oyebode, Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development. Her words were not casual compliments. They were the kind reserved for builders of legacy. Describing Oyebode as selfless, dedicated, and a true son of the soil, Dr. Osetoba pointed to a simple truth, passion backed by action changes everything.  And in Ekiti, that passion has found expression in willow and leather. From dusty practice pitches to national rele...

By Maxwell Kumoye  Invictus Cricket Club sealed their place in Edo cricket history on Sunday, November 30, 2025, storming to the men’s T20 title after a ruthless, season-long campaign that left their rivals chasing shadows. The champions were unstoppable for most of the tournament, finishing with 12 glittering points and dropping only a single match in seven outings.  Their dominance was unmistakable, their intent undeniable, and their coronation inevitable. But the final day brought twists, tension, and late drama. UNIBEN CC, spoilers rather than contenders, delivered a shock to the champions, snatching a 2-wicket victory that sent a jolt through Iyoba College’s Centre of Excellence for Women’s Cricket.  The upset was loud, but it wasn’t loud enough. Invictus had built too strong a fortress, and the title remained firmly in their grasp. No-Limit CC, hoping for a final-day miracle, watched their dreams crumble after an 8-wicket defeat to UNIBEN, leaving them s...

...Urges more youths to embrace the gentleman's game By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye             The Executive Director of Sports Development and Operations, Edo State Sports Commission, (ESSC), Mrs. Sabina Ekhaisomi Chikere, has described the Edo Men's Cricket League as the wheels of the chariot that accelerate youth development. Mrs. Chikere made this submission on Tuesday in a chat with FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG's Senior Correspondent and head of operation, Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye. The soft spoken sports administrator stated that the League will help unearth the abundant talent spread across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state. “The Cricket League is a multi purpose vehicle for sports and economic development, while it offers the young talents the opportunity to grow, it also provides a source of income to the coaches and support team of the participating clubs,” Mrs. Sabina Chikere said. She went on to state that Cr...

By Maxwell Kumoye    The race to the Super Four in the 2025 Edo Men’s Cricket League just got hotter and the Dolphins are right back in the swim. After crashing to a 48-run defeat against Uniben Cricket Club over the weekend, Dolphins CC looked like a team losing grip on their Super Four dream.  But on Sunday, they rose from the canvas with the resilience of contenders, sealing back-to-back victories that catapulted them into the top three. In their first game of the day, Dolphins edged a nervy 7-run win over the U-17 Cricket Club. Batting first after winning the toss, they scratched their way to 64 runs before being bowled out in 17.1 overs.  It looked shaky, but their bowlers came up big, choking the chase and dismissing the youngsters for 57 in 18.5 overs. A scrappy win — but a priceless one. Their second match, against Integrity Force CC, was a bigger test. With Integrity fighting to keep their own qualification hopes alive, Dolphins again chose to ba...

…As cricket Boss Akpata bags SWAN national honour By Maxwell Kumoye Cricket fever is set to grip Benin City as the 2025 Edo State Men’s Cricket League storms into action this Saturday, November 8 and it’s a promising four weeks of fiery bowling, explosive batting, and unrelenting competition among the state’s best clubs. The T20-format tournament, one of Nigeria’s most competitive state leagues, will feature eight formidable teams: ✓ No Limit Cricket Club ✓ Invictus Cricket Club ✓ Crusaders Cricket Club ✓ Integrity Force Cricket Club ✓ Uniben Cricket Club ✓ Dolphins Cricket Club ✓ Delta Force Cricket Club ✓ The U-17 Cricket Club Action gets underway with two opening-day thrillers, the Under-17 Cricket Club squaring off against Integrity Force at the High Performance Centre, Edo Boys High School, while No Limit Cricket Club clashes with Invictus Cricket Club at the Centre of Excellence for Women’s Cricket, Iyoba College. Both encounters start at 9:00 a.m. Later in the aftern...

By Mishael Emmanuel with additional reports by Olusola Adebayo Nigeria’s senior women’s cricket team, the Female Yellow Greens, have departed Lagos for Namibia ahead of the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier, which begins on Thursday, August 28. A squad of 14 players and team officials, led by head coach Leke Oyede, left Nigeria via the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Thursday night. The team is expected to arrive in Windhoek on Friday, in time to settle down before their opening game. The Female Yellow Greens will kick off their campaign against Sierra Leone on Sunday, August 31, before facing hosts Namibia in their second Group A match on Monday, September 1. Their final group game will be against Zimbabwe on Wednesday, September 3. According to the tournament format, the top two teams in each group will progress to the semi-finals, while the two finalists will secure Africa’s slots for the global qualifiers later this year. President of the...

   The Bayelsa State Cricket Association has written a letter of protest, appealing to the National Sports Commission (NSC), regarding the upcoming Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), election.    The State Association's Chairman, Pakribo Telema-Daregoe, alleges that the current President of the Nigeria Cricket Federation, Uyi Akpata, is attempting to unilaterally impose a "doctored constitution" for the election without proper consultation or transparency. The Bayelsa State Cricket Association claims that Akpata's proposed constitution has not undergone due process, including stakeholder consultations and approval.   The letter emphasized that the International Cricket Council (ICC) does not interfere in the internal affairs of its member countries, contradicting Akpata's claim that the ICC has approved the new constitution.   The Association also argued that Akpata's actions would make him both a contestant and an umpire in the elect...