Nigeria sacks national team, coaches

Nigeria sacks national team, coaches

In a bizarre, yet not unexpected move, the Nigeria Cricket Federation has sacked the entire men’s cricket team and their Indian coach, Shriam Regananthian.

This was after the side failed in the ICC World Cricket League Division Five tournament held last month in UK, finishing bottom of the table.

The team had just one win over Tanzania and lost to Oman, Guernsey, Vanatu and Jersey. The team also lost to Tanzania again to claim the bottom spot. Jersey went on to become champions.

Federation president, Emeka Onyeama added that national chief coach Uthe Ogbimi has also been relieved of his duty with the team. He blamed Ogbimi and the team Captain Kunle Adegbola for the embarrassing campaign. He however refused to blame the Indian level A coach who joined the team on the eve of their departure to UK.

According to him, the team underperformed despite having intensive preparations and increment of their daily allowance to $100 per day from the old regiment of $25- $50 per day.

He declared that the federation would now undertake a rebuilding process where young players from the U-19 team would be upgraded to the national team.

He said a new national coaching crew will be announced in the wake of the proposed North West Africa Tournament and ICC/Africa T-20 tournament scheduled for September.