Nigeria national cricket team

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For the women's team, see Nigeria women's national cricket team.

Nigeria
Nigeria Cricket Federation.png
Nickname(s)Yellow Greens[1]
AssociationNigeria Cricket Federation
Personnel
CaptainAdemola Onikoyi
CoachAsanka Gurusinha[2]
History
Twenty20 debutNigeria Nigeria v. North West
(Boland Park, South Africa; 14 September 2018)
International Cricket Council
ICC statusAssociate member (2002)
ICC regionAfrica
ICC Rankings Current[3] Best-ever
T20I 40th 36th (25-May-2019)
International cricket
First international Lagos Colony v. Gold Coast Gold Coast (British colony)
(Lagos, 25 May 1904)
Twenty20 Internationals
First T20Iv  Kenya at Kyambogo Cricket Oval, Kampala; 20 May 2019
Last T20Iv  Tanzania at IPRC Cricket Ground, Kigali; 20 November 2021
T20Is Played Won/Lost
Total[4] 27 8/19
(0 ties, 0 no result)
This year[5] 0 0/0
(0 ties, 0 no result)
As of 1 January 2022

The Nigeria national cricket team is the men's team that represents the country of Nigeria in international cricket. Cricket has been played in the country since the late 19th century, and the national team played their first match in 1904, when a team representing the Lagos Colony played the Gold Coast Colony.[6] The Nigeria Cricket Association has been an associate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) since 2002.[7]

History[]

Early years[]

Cricket has been played in Nigeria since the late 19th century when the game was introduced by the British.[8] Contacts between the administration in Lagos and their counterparts in Gold Coast (now Ghana) led to an international on 25 May 1904,[9] the Gold Coast winning by 22 runs.[6]

The match became an annual fixture and for the first three matches was multi-racial. The fourth fixture in December 1906 was for Europeans only, and the African population started their own annual fixture in 1907. Internationals stopped for the First World War, and did not restart until the mid-1920s.[6]

Between the two world wars, cricket began to become more formally organised in the country with two cricket associations for the Europeans and Africans being formed in 1932 and 1933 respectively. First-class cricketers from England began to appear in the annual matches against Gold Coast,[6] and the 1939 match, the last before World War II ended in a 58 run win for Gold Coast.[10]

Matches resumed after the war with a five-day match in Lagos in 1947 which ended in a draw.[11] The 1949 match went the way of the Gold Coast.[12] As the number of Europeans working in the country reduced, the quality of the African players increased and cricket began to be organised on multi-racial lines in 1956.[6]

Post independence[]

Following Nigeria's independence in 1960, there was much interest in cricket. Annual matches against Sierra Leone and The Gambia began in 1964, and were evenly contested until the late 1970s, when football began to become more popular in the country. Cricket began a process of decline, and when Tanzania toured in 1974, Nigeria lost two of the three matches and drew the other. They also lost heavily to the MCC in 1976. Internal problems with both the Nigeria Cricket Association and in Nigeria itself led to a decline in standards, though Nigeria formed a majority of the players on the West Africa cricket team[6] that became an ICC associate member in 1976.[13]

The West Africa team took part in the ICC Trophy tournaments of 1982 and 1997 before withdrawing from the 2001 tournament in Ontario.[14] Nigeria still continued to play on their own on occasion,[6] though they sometimes withdrew from tournaments, as at the 1998 Africa Cricket Association Championship.[15] The West African Cricket Conference ceased to exist in 2002,[6] and Nigeria became an associate member of the ICC in their own right the same year.[7]

ICC membership[]

Nigeria's first tournament after becoming an ICC member on their own was the 2002 Africa Cup in Zambia. Nigeria finished fourth in their group after their only win of the tournament against Malawi.[16] They finished 5th in the Africa Cricket Association Championships in 2004, their only win coming against last placed Tanzania, thus failing to qualify for the 2005 ICC Trophy.[17]

In August 2006, Nigeria took part in Division Two of the World Cricket League Africa Region in Tanzania,[18] finishing last.[19] This originally relegated them to Division Three,[6] though they are not playing in that tournament in 2008.[20] They won the North West Africa Championship in 2007[21] and 2008.[22] Nigeria are played in Division Two of the World Cricket League Africa Region in 2008 and came second hence qualifying for 2009 ICC World Cricket League Division Seven. They came 3rd in the tournament thus remaining in the division .[20] In May 2011 Nigeria participated in the 2011 ICC World Cricket League Division Seven in Botswana.[23] Nigeria came second in tournament this qualifying for 2011 ICC World Cricket League Division Six. Then the team went to South Africa in May 2011 to participate in 2011 ICC Africa Division Two (T20) en route to qualification of 2012 ICC World Twenty20. They won the tournament and qualified for 2011 ICC Africa Division One.[24]

In August 2018, they were included in the 2018 Africa T20 Cup tournament.[25][26]

2018–present[]

In April 2018, the ICC decided to grant full Twenty20 International (T20I) status to all its members. Therefore, all Twenty20 matches played between Nigeria and other ICC members since 1 January 2019 have been full T20Is.[27] Nigeria's first T20I match was against Kenya on 20 May 2019, after finishing second in the North-Western sub-region qualification group, advancing to the Regional Final of the 2018–19 ICC World Twenty20 Africa Qualifier tournament.[28]

20 May 2019
09:30
Scorecard
Nigeria 
105/5 (15 overs)
v
 Kenya
106/2 (12.2 overs)
Leke Oyede 27* (27)
Shem Ngoche 2/6 (3 overs)
Dhiren Gondaria 47* (31)
Leke Oyede 1/15 (3 overs)
Kenya won by 8 wickets
Kyambogo Cricket Oval, Kampala
Umpires: Andrew Louw (Nam) and Langton Rusere (Zim)
Player of the match: Shem Ngoche (Ken)
  • Kenya won the toss and elected to field.
  • First ever T20I match for Nigeria.


In July 2019, the ICC suspended Zimbabwe Cricket, with the team barred from taking part in ICC events.[29] As a result of their suspension, the ICC confirmed that Nigeria would replace them in the 2019 ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier tournament.[30]

Grounds[]

The 2,000-capacity Tafawa Balewa Square Oval in Lagos is the largest cricket stadium in Nigeria.[31]

Nigeria national cricket team is located in Nigeria
National Stadium
National Stadium
Locations of all stadium(s) which have hosted international cricket matches within Nigeria

Tournament history[]

World Cup[]

  • 1975: Not eligible – Not an ICC member[7]
  • 1979 to 2003: See West African cricket team
  • 2007: Did not qualify[17]

ICC World T20 Qualifier[]

  • 2019: 14th place[32]

ICC Trophy[]

ICC World Cricket League[]

  • 2009: 3rd place (Division Seven)
  • 2011: 2nd place (Division Seven)
  • 2011: 5th place (Division Six)
  • 2013: 1st place (Division Seven)
  • 2013: 2nd place (Division Six)
  • 2014: 4th place (Division Five)

ICC World Cricket League Africa Region[]

  • 2006: 5th place (Division Two)[19]
  • 2011: 1st place (Division Two)(T20)[24]

Records and Statistics[]

International Match Summary — Nigeria[33]

Last updated 20 November 2021

Playing Record
Format M W L T NR Inaugural Match
Twenty20 Internationals 27 8 19 0 0 20 May 2019

Twenty20 International[]

T20I record versus other nations[33]

Records complete to T20I #1445. Last updated 20 November 2021.

Opponent M W L T NR First match First win
v. Full members
 Ireland 1 0 1 0 0 26 October 2019
vs Associate Members
 Botswana 1 1 0 0 0 21 May 2019 21 May 2019
 Canada 1 0 1 0 0 21 October 2019
 Ghana 1 1 0 0 0 22 May 2019 22 May 2019
 Hong Kong 1 0 1 0 0 27 October 2019
 Jersey 1 0 1 0 0 19 October 2019
 Kenya 6 1 5 0 0 20 May 2019 16 September 2021
 Oman 1 0 1 0 0 23 October 2019
 Sierra Leone 6 5 1 0 0 19 October 2021 20 October 2021
 Tanzania 2 0 2 0 0 17 November 2021
 Uganda 5 0 5 0 0 21 September 2021
 United Arab Emirates 1 0 1 0 0 24 October 2019

Other First Class records[]

Performances by Nigerian cricketers in World Cricket League since 2009

Current players
Name Matches Runs Wickets
Dotun Olatunji 18 599 0
Kunle Adegbola 34 588 33
Endurance Ofem 32 521 15
Ademola Onikoyi 34 502 1
Ricky Sharma 16 284 0
Segun Olayinka 29 584 0
Olajide Bejide 31 556 9
Joshua Ogunlola 29 124 44
Oluseye Olympio 27 154 29
Ositadinma Onwuzulike 18 127 10
Chimezie Onwuzulike 12 85 11
Saheed Akolade 31 98 48
Emmanuel Okwudili 20 351 0
Leke Oyede 10 84 5
Former players
Name Matches Runs Wickets
Sean Phillips 13 386 14
Wale Adeoye 6 51 5
Femi Oduyebo 3 19 5
Ayo Mene Ejegi 4 25 4
Ramit Gill 13 203 8
Oluwaseun Odeku 7 55 3
Varun Behani 6 50 3
Haruna Thomas 2 3 1
Sesan Adedeji 3 29 1
Olalekan Awolowo 7 104 5
Joshua Ayannaike 1 6 0
Temitope Olayinka 4 12

Highest Scores+

Dotun Olatunji – 127 vs Ghana at BCA Oval No. 1, Gaborone on 7 April 2013

Dotun Olatunji – 125* vs Botswana at BCA Oval No. 2, Gaborone on 9 April 2013

Olajide Bejide – 106 vs Tanzania at Royal Selangor Club, Kuala Lumpur on 13 March 2014

Segun Olayinka – 94* vs Argentina at Grainville, St Saviour on 28 July 2013

Endurance Ofem – 90 vs Cayman Islands at Kinrara Academy Oval, Kuala Lumpur on 9 March 2014

Best bowling figures

Oluseye Olympio – 6/23 vs Argentina at Grainville, St Saviour on 28 July 2013

Saeed Akolade – 6/27 vs Bahrain at Farmers CC, St Martin on 25 July 2013

Joshua Ogunlola – 5/28 vs Botswana at BCA Oval No. 2, Gaborone on 9 April 2013

Joshua Ogunlola – 5/34 vs Germany at BCA Oval No. 2, Gaborone on 12 April 2013

Olajide Bejide – 4/20 vs Kuwait at BCA Oval No. 1, Gaborone on 8 May 2011

  • Highest team total: 397/7 declared v Gold Coast, 1932.[6]
  • Highest individual score: 166 by E Henshaw v Ghana, 1982 and by B Olufawo v Ghana, 2001.[6]
  • Best bowling: 7/65 by WS King v Gold Coast, 1952.[6]

Current squad[]

The following list contains the 14 players in Nigeria's squad for the final round of 2018–19 ICC T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier taking place in Uganda in May, 2019.[39]

Players[]

The following players have represented Nigeria internationally and also played first-class cricket:

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Team Nigeria set for the ICC T-20 World Cup Africa finals in Uganda". Nigeria Cricket. 14 May 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
  2. ^ "Asanka Gurusinha appointed head coach of Nigeria". www.espncricinfo.com. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  3. ^ "ICC Rankings". International Cricket Council.
  4. ^ "T20I matches - Team records". ESPNcricinfo.
  5. ^ "T20I matches - 2021 Team records". ESPNcricinfo.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Encyclopedia of World Cricket by Roy Morgan, Sportsbooks Publishing, 2007
  7. ^ a b c Nigeria at CricketArchive
  8. ^ "How Nigeria's cricket team 'shocked the world'". BBC News. 21 January 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  9. ^ "Nigeria's Cricket Milestone". All Africa. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  10. ^ Scorecard of Gold Coast v Nigeria, 22 March 1939 at Cricinfo
  11. ^ Scorecard of Nigeria v Gold Coast, 18 March 1947 at CricketArchive
  12. ^ Scorecard of Nigeria v Gold Coast, 6 April 1949
  13. ^ West Africa at CricketArchive
  14. ^ List of West Africa ICC Trophy matches at CricketArchive
  15. ^ Group list includes Nigeria, but final standings do not.
  16. ^ 2002 Africa Cup at CricketEurope
  17. ^ a b c Africa qualifying, 2005 ICC Trophy official website
  18. ^ WCL Africa Division Two at CricketArchive
  19. ^ a b WCL Africa Division Two Points Table at CricketArchive
  20. ^ a b 2008 Africa Division Three Championship at CricketEurope
  21. ^ 2007 North West Africa Championship at CricketEurope
  22. ^ North West Africa Championship at CricketEurope
  23. ^ http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CRICKETEUROPE/DATABASE/2011/TOURNAMENTS/WCL7/about.shtml
  24. ^ a b http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CRICKETEUROPE/DATABASE/2011/TOURNAMENTS/AFRICAT20DIV2/about.shtml
  25. ^ "CSA launches expanded Africa T20 Cup". Cricket365. 7 August 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  26. ^ "Ghana and Nigeria set to join Kenya, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and South African domestic sides in expanded Africa T20 Cup". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  27. ^ "All T20 matches between ICC members to get international status". International Cricket Council. 26 April 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  28. ^ "Ghana and Nigeria advance to Africa finals". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  29. ^ "ICC board and full council concludes in London". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  30. ^ "Nigeria awarded men's T20 World Cup Qualifiers entry". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  31. ^ "Nigeria and Ghana begin World T20 qualifying campaign with victories".
  32. ^ 2019 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier
  33. ^ a b "Records / Nigeria / Twenty20 Internationals / Result summary". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  34. ^ "Records / Nigeria / Twenty20 Internationals / Highest totals". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  35. ^ "Records / Nigeria / Twenty20 Internationals / High scores". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  36. ^ "Records / Nigeria / Twenty20 Internationals / Best bowling figures". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  37. ^ "Records / Nigeria / Twenty20 Internationals / Most runs". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  38. ^ "Records / Nigeria / Twenty20 Internationals / Most wickets". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  39. ^ Nigeria Squad
  40. ^ Henry Savory at CricketArchive
  41. ^ Richard Parkhouse at CricketArchive
  42. ^ Geoffrey Anson at CricketArchive
  43. ^ Robert Melsome at CricketArchive
  44. ^ William Shirley at CricketArchive
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