CRICKET AND NIGERIAN SPORTS

Nigeria is not represented actively in the community of cricket playing nations and this is very sad. The reason for this is based on the failure of our Cricket Association to take the necessary steps to take the sport further to the grassroots. During the colonial era, the established missionary schools such as St Finbarr’s and Kings College produced talents who later became champions but the achievements at that level was not expanded to reach the international stage. In Nigerian schools today, only very few still play cricket and this has affected the acceptability of the sport to the younger generation. It is therefore imperative that The Nigerian Cricket Association develop a strategy to encourage the growth through the following:

• Invite foreign instructors from well-known cricket playing country to train our youths in the sport.
• Develop a synergy between academics and cricket especially for the younger generation.
• Invite corporate sponsors and provide the enabling environment to drive the sport
• Attaching a reward system that will motivate the youths to get involved
• Train our officials on the modern day trend in the sports
• Use the media to promote the sports especially at each level of the sports growth and development.

It is my believe that when these actions are taken that Cricket will be accepted at all levels.