By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
In spite of hurdles encountered ahead of departure for the 21st National Sports Festival (NSF) taking place in Asaba the Delta State capital, Team Kaduna shocked their hosts by trouncing them in the male cricket event.
This feat was achieved after a 14-hour journey tedious journey from Kaduna to Asaba, which did not deter the el-Rufai boys from downing the Okowa boys.
Team Kaduna Cricket team had taken off from their state capital around 6pm on Thursday, arriving Asaba on Friday morning and we’re immediately ushered into the pitch for their match, with the hosts failing to take advantage of the visitors fatigued journey.
In an interview with our correspondent, at the Stephen Keshi Stadium Asaba, leader of Team Kaduna contingent to the festival, Director of Sports (DOS), Sports Administration, Yusuf Yamai attributed the victory to the motivation from the administration of Governor Nasir el-Rufai.
“If you vividly recollect, at the closing ceremony of the recently concluded Kaduna State Sports Festival, our able Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai specifically told our athletes to go all out to make the state proud in Asaba and the cricket victory shows that the athletes are motivated by him, ” he said.
He explained that the last batch of the team arrived Friday morning and have since been settled at the camp provided by the organisers.
“Team Kaduna left for Asaba in batches. The first was an advance party that went ahead to make arrangements for the contingent. The second batch departed on Wednesday, while the last on Thursday,” he said.
He commended the governor for promptly approving all needed for the festival, while assuring that the contingent would make the state proud.
