Lagos Outclass Ogun to Win Fifth South-West U-19 Tournament
By Oluwaseyi Oduneye-Ogunwomoju
Lagos State on Saturday emerged champions of the fifth South-West U-19 Cricket Tournament, defeating defending champions Ogun State in the final of the competition tagged the “Jide Bademosi Cup” at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Lagos posted 159 runs for nine wickets in 20 overs, while Ogun managed 120 runs for four wickets in their 20 overs.
Oyo State secured third place after edging Osun State, scoring 58 runs for four wickets in 20 overs, with Osun falling short at 55 runs in 15.1 overs.
Speaking after the match, Ogun coach Adeyemi Adegbola described the encounter as tough, noting that his bowlers conceded too many runs.
“Our bowlers did not execute the game plan effectively. Also, some of our key players were unavailable due to school commitments. We will go back and intensify efforts in grooming the players who featured in this tournament,” he said.
Lagos coach Azeez Salako expressed delight at his team’s victory, describing it as a long-awaited achievement.
“Winning this edition is a dream come true. In the past four editions, we consistently finished second or third, so I’m glad we finally emerged champions,” he said.
NAN further reports that the tournament, which began on April 15, featured teams from the six South-West states and was sponsored by Energy and Mineral Resources Mining (EMR), owned by former cricketer Seye Fadahunsi. (NAN)