National Men’s Cricket Championship begins in Benin

Players excited as CBN Junior Tennis Championship returns today

THE annual CBN Junior Tennis Championship will begin today at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club Race Course with players from across the nation competing in three age groups - boys and girls 16s, 14s and 12s.

According to organisers of the competition, International Tennis Academy ( ITA), which last year celebrated an outstanding performance of the juniors at the CBN Senior championships in Abuja, extra care has been taken to ensure that all the players are ‘ safe and comfortable’.

In a statement, ITA said: “The game of tennis lends itself easily to social distancing and all extant protocols and with the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club which is a 3000 capacity tennis stadium, it should not be a problem managing 120 participants.”

It added: “We are expecting a very high level of competition as reports from coaches and parents all over the country say the players are highly motivated to work harder following the achievements of their mates at the Senior Championships in Abuja last November.”

At the 2020 CBN Senior Open Championships, Oyinlomo Quadri ( 16) won the Ladies’ singles event, beating another teenage sensation,

Marylove Edwards ( 16) in the final. Quadri and Edwards overcame former champions, Sarah Adegoke and Christy Agugbom respectively in tight semifinal matches.

Quadri also paired Serena Teluwo ( 14) to win the Ladies’ doubles against Omolayo Bamidele ( 17) and Toyosi Adeusi ( 16).

“The boys are also doing very well, getting to quarterfinal

FOLLOWING on the heels of the South South Women Championship, which ended at the weekend in Benin, Edo State, the city is ready once again to host another major cricket championship, this time involving the men.

According to the Nigeria Cricket Federation ( NCF), eight and semifinal places,” the statement said, adding, “we can now say the objectives of the junior event have been largely achieved. We would now look forward to launching the best of them unto the professional circuit to battle for ATP points to move up the world rankings.

The one- week tournament is scheduled to end on Saturday at the same venue. teams will be on parade from today to March 31 at the National Cricket Men’s Championship billed for Edo Boys High School, Cricket High Performance Centre.

NCF President, Yahaya, Ukwenya, said the 10- day championship is a key event on the federation’s calendar given the weight of international commitments that the country is committed to later in the year.

“The National Men’s Championship for us, is the first on the list of activities that will form the molding of a stronger national team both for the Under 19 and more importantly the Senior Men’s team.

“We have three World Cup tickets to vie for later in the year, hoping that the Covid- 19 Pandemic’s tide will continually be stemmed as it is presently being done now. The Under 19 World Cup, The Senior Men’s T- 20 World and the Women’s World Cup Qualifier,” he said.

Nigeria will host two of the World Cup qualifiers in October and November and Ukwenya believes the National Men’s Championship will serve as a key preparatory event for the challenges ahead.