BRING BACK OUR FIRST LOVE

Our first love as a sports loving Nation has never been football, neither has it been basketball but CRICKET and I dare you never knew that. Do not judge me yet.
It will interest you to know that the first international cricket match we played was on 25th may, 1904 in Lagos against Gold coast(Ghana) although we were called Lagos colony. This simply means that the game itself was being played well before that time. Well even though the team was multiracial. The matches were played annually until 1907 when it was all European.
Since the nineteenth century cricket had been played and its popularity was on the rise before and immediately after the Nigerian independence although it was hampered during the world wars and the civil war of 1967.Then the ever challenging and unending problem of politics, mismanagement and internal rangling took over the administration of the sports.
In 2002, the YELLOW GREEN as the Nigerian team is called participated in the African Cricket Cup and finished fourth beating only Malawi, this was achieved in the year Nigeria Cricket Federation became an official member of International Cricket Federation. The team finished fifth in the African Cricket Association championship in 2004 winning only against Tanzania and failing to qualify for the International Cricket Council Trophy in 2005. In 2006, the YELLOW GREEN finished last in the division two World Cricket League African Region and were relegated. The participated in the North Africa Championship in 2007 and 2008 winning in 2007 and finishing Second therefore qualifying for the 2009 International Cricket Council World Cricket league Division seven, finishing third which guaranteed them remaining in the league. In 2011, the came second in the same competition and moved to Divsion six, in the same year in South Africa, the participated in International Cricket Council Africa Division two (T20) and won and qualified for 2011 International Cricket Council Africa Division one. In 2013, they were in division seven in World Cricket league and shortly moved to six but in 2014 finished fourth and moved to division five were it presently occupies.
According to renowned analyst of the game, Nigeria has huge potentials yet to be harnessed in this sport, Nigeria is the fastest developing country according to official ranking but if the ranking speaks highly of us, what is the condition of cricket in the country.
Just like football cricket is a game of eleven players per team and is highly intriguing and ssuspense filled and last for up to six hours which on the other hand means longer time for fun and relaxation, longer time for advertising, longer time to be united for a course, longer time for the operators of bars were these matches are televised, longer time to be free from crime etc
With this it is very pertinent that we all join hands together and demand for our lost first love to return- return to our schools, television, radio, newspapers and magazines, and our fields.
Let all stand together and bring back our Cricket!!!!
Twitter.com/Smartpalo19

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