Nigeria Cricket team target W/Cup slot ahead Div 2 contest

Nigeria’s under-19 Cricket team will as from August 19 begin a swift quest for higher heights when they confront their opponents in search of 2019 World Cup spot.
Put together by the International Cricket Council (ICC), the country’s emerging side will be taking part in the division tournament holding between August 17 and 29 in South Africa.
No fewer than ten countries are billed to participate with only three tickets available for grabs.
In a release made available to Blueprint weekend Sports in Abuja, Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), Musa Ehizoje revealed that already preparations are on top gear by the Nigeria team popularly known as Junior Yellow Greens .
According to him, “The junior Yellow Greens began preparations for this tournament with the first phase camping in Benin City, Edo State earlier this year.
27 players were picked from the pool of 40 for the second phase camp which took place in Kaduna in April 2018.
In June, the 27 players selected resumed for the third phase of camping in Kaduna and after a series of trial matches, a final list of 14 players was selected to represent the Country.
“The Junior Yellow Greens left the shores of Nigeria on Monday 6 to begin their pre-tournament tour in Uganda.
The team will be led once again by Sylvester Okpe, to be assisted by Bating Maestro Runsewe Suleiman.
The team is expected to play five friendly matches against the Uganda U-19 and U-23 sides with four games to be played in Lugogo Cricket oval and one game in Kyambogo.
All friendly matches will be 50 overs.
“The final two friendly matches will be played on Tuesday 14th and Thursday 16th August in Lugogo, before leaving Kampala for Protchefstroom on the 17th of August for the tournament proper.” Nigeria will hope to pick up one of the three qualifying tickets to division one and will fancy their chances for at least a semi-final place having been drawn in group B with fellow arch rivals Ghana, Mozambique, Lesotho and Gambia.
Nigeria will open their encounter against the former Gold coast Nation, Ghana before engaging Mozambique on the August 22.
Other fixtures in group B include Nigeria facing Lesotho the following day and a final group game against Gambia a day after.
Two teams will qualify from each group with first position in group A vs Second position in group “B” and vice versa