Winners have emerged in the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN)-organised Ebonyi State Secondary School Cricket Championship for the South Senatorial Zone, with participating schools securing places in the forthcoming state finals.
The championship, organised in collaboration with the Ebonyi State Cricket Association, is being conducted across the three senatorial zones of the state as part of efforts to discover and nurture young cricket talents at the grassroots level.
Speaking to journalists after the competition in Afikpo, the Technical Officer for the South District series, Ebi Agha, announced that Government Secondary School (GSS), Afikpo, won the male category, while Sir Francis Ibiam Grammar School, Afikpo, emerged champions in the female category.
According to Agha, GSS Afikpo defeated Amuro Mgbom Secondary School, Afikpo, to clinch the zonal male title and qualify for the state finals.
He explained that both schools were the only male teams that participated in the South Zone competition, making GSS Afikpo the district's representative in the male category at the state championship.
In the female category, Sir Francis Ibiam Grammar School, Afikpo, secured qualification for the state finals after defeating Holy Child Secondary School by nine wickets and overcoming Amuro Mgbom Secondary School by 13 runs.
Agha commended the leadership of SWAN in Ebonyi State and the Ebonyi State Cricket Association for their commitment to grassroots sports development and talent discovery.
"The competition was challenging, but the participating teams and officials worked diligently to ensure a hitch-free championship," he said.
Also speaking, the South-East Representative on the Nigeria Cricket Federation Board, Dr. Chika Okoro, urged participating teams to compete fairly and uphold the spirit of sportsmanship.
He noted that the championship was designed to identify and develop young cricket players capable of sustaining the growth of the sport in the state and the South-East region.
"We always seek to discover hidden cricket talents in secondary schools to replace those who graduate to higher institutions.
"Our investments in cricket have brought immense recognition to Ebonyi State and the South-East. We therefore urge governments at all levels to continue supporting the development of the game," Okoro stated.
The Chairman of SWAN in Ebonyi State, Andy Nwogha, commended stakeholders for their support towards the successful organisation of the championship.
He reaffirmed the association's commitment to promoting grassroots sports and discovering young talents across the state.
Nwogha particularly appreciated Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, for his administration's sports development initiatives, as well as Dr. Okoro for his contributions to the growth of cricket in the South-East.
"We sincerely appreciate Governor Nwifuru for his sports-friendly policies and Dr. Chika Okoro for his immeasurable contributions to the development of cricket in the region," he said.
Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Chukwuemeka Opara, expressed optimism that the championship would be successfully conducted across all three senatorial zones, culminating in a competitive state final.
Goodwill messages were delivered by officials of the Ebonyi State Cricket Association and other stakeholders, while the victorious teams pledged to represent the South Senatorial Zone creditably at the state finals.
Meanwhile, Trinity Secondary School, Abakaliki, has already qualified to represent the North Senatorial Zone in both the male and female categories, with attention now shifting to the Central Senatorial Zone qualifiers ahead of the state championship.
