By Akanimo Kufre
Idia Royals Cricket Club, (CC) on Sunday defeated defending Champions, Smashers Cricket Club to emerge 2024 Champions of the South-south Female Cricket League in Benin City, Edo State.
Idia Royals CC girls chased and succeeded in meeting a low target of 73 runs earlier set by the Smashers CC in the first inning. A national team player, Peculiar Aboya batted 33 runs to ensure her team Idia Royals upset Smashers by 7 wickets to lift the trophy.
Omonye Aiwuone of Idia Royals won the Player of the Match award after taking 4 of Smashers’ wickets. Idia Royals therefore became the 3rd winners of the SSFCL Season 3 as Smashers could not break the spell to retain the SSFCL Trophy.
Besides the trophy and medals, Idia won the cash prize of N300,000. They also went home with an additional N100,000 through a Cricket lover, Mr. Johnathan Oboita.
Smashers CC and Pathfinders CC equally pocketed N200,000 and N150,000 respectively as 2nd and 3rd place winners of the only female cricket league competition in Nigeria.
The Individual awards winners were Most Valuable Player, (MVP) of the Series – Lucky Piety (Idia Royals CC)
Best Batter Award winner – Salome Sunday (Smashers CC)
Best Bowler Award winner – Uwana Moses (Pathfinders CC)
Best Fielder Award winner – Esther Sandy (Smashers CC)
Zone A Benin MVP Award winner – Peace Usen (Ekpoma Super Novas)
Zone B, Port Harcourt MVP Award winner – Blessing Etim (Smashers CC)
