Final reckonig

Kenya’s under 19 cricket team will, at the end of this month, begin the journey to qualifying for the World Cup. One could argue that this team, carries more than just the hopes of a bunch of young cricketers desperate to appear on theglobal stage, but the hope of a cricket organisation that has struggned to overcome the legacy of non-development of the game in Kenya.

I have blogged variously on this matter so, I will not say alot about it here.

Kenya’s under 19 cricket team, virtually dead in the mid 2000s, has been a mixed bag for Cricket Kenya. They have not been to their World Cup since a side dogged by racism in selection issues suffered world reccord defeats against major test teams in 2003. The resultant hiatus has shown with alot of its graduants to the national team struggling to cope with international cricket due to a lack of exposure.

The under 19 squad travelling to the Africa Qualifiers is very significant for two reasons. Firstly the bulk of the players in this team have learnt their cricket entirely under the auspices of the current Cricket Kenya structure. Players like Emmanuel Bundi and Irfan Karim have played alongside one another all the way from the under 13 level for teams run by Cricket Kenya. Qualifying for the next edition of the u19 World Cup would be welcome vindication for the efforts that Samir Inamdar and his team has done. The second reason is that given the extremely dubious manner which the International Cricket Council stripped Kenya of hosting rightsfor the last U19 World Cup.qualifying would be a good way of getting back at the ICC fof their henious deeds.

In the first leg of the qualifying tournament, Kenya face:Uganda, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, Sierra Leone amongst others. From those listed above, the stiffest competition shall come from, regular World Cup camapigners, Namibia and Uganda. In 2007, it was only Namibia that stooped Kenya from making that year’s World Cup, whilst Kenya’s rivalry with Uganda at the age group level goes back many years. Getting past these two should allow Kenya through to the Global World cup qualifying tourney, where 6 of the 10 participating teams will qualify for the 2011 u19 World cup.

The Under 19 World Cup Africa qualifiers start on the 29th of August in Windhoek, Namibia.

Summer of discontent

. Having gone from champs to chumps in Division 1 of the World Cricket League, matches against Baroda and Gujarat would have been an ideal opportunity for out of touch players to focus on rediscovering their touch.

With a maximum of two innings to go, Thomas Odoyo is the only batsman to make the magic 100 mark. Nehemiah Odhiambo, Collins Obuya (who was in great touch anyway) and James Kamande are the only other batsmen to have registered 50s. The rest of Kenya’s batting has failed to show much hunger for runs, hence processions have become the norm whenever Kenya is at the crease. Kenya’s record in the 50 over-a-side format this year reads two wins 11 losses. Both wins Holland (one being a warm up game) a result of the increasingly rare occurrences when Kenya’s batsmen did not allow circumstances to dictate their batting approach.
Most worrying is the form of youngsters, particularly, Rakep Patel and Alex Obanda. Neither has managed a half century since January in the 50 over format and neither seems to be showing the kind confidence and poise that got both into the national set up in the first place. Several voices in Kenyan cricket, especially through the print media, are now calling for the return of senior batsmen. Though it may prove a short term relief, in the long run this blogger believes that it merely papering over the problem and not fixing it.

In the bowling, the story is slightly different. Nehemiah Odhiambo looks to be the most in form of the seam bowlers. With better control and fewer 4-balls he looks set to become more and Kenya’s strike bowler of choice for several years to come. His namesake Nelson Odhiambo has also shown signs of promise. However, the real story is the rise and rise of one James Ngoche. Continuing where he left off at the World Cricket league, he was Kenya’s leading wicket taker in the tri series v. Gujarat and Baroda. And together with one Shem Obado he has shown glimpses of the kind of tight and disciplined bowling that are the hallmarks of great spinners. With the World Cup in the sub-continent this blogger hopes their skills translate to more than just being able to bamboozle associate and provincial level batsmen. God knows Kenya needs it.

With only a seven month window left till the next World Cup the is very little room for radical changes to personnel, yet one can only hope that a proposed tour by either or both of Pakistan and South Africa’s A teams in September will see changes necessary to stop the rot in the Kenya national team.

Back to Square one

Over the past week, Kenyan cricket fans were subject to the national team’s worst international showing since at least 1990. Following an acrimonious wage dispute, Kenya went to defend their World Cricket League Division one trophy with the worst possible preparations possible. It showed. They lost all their competitive matches, failed to bat out their allocated overs in four of their six games and between them could only muster 2 half centuries over the entire tournament. They also set a record low team total v. associates (112 a.o.) Three years ago, many of the same players of that team swept pretty much the same opposition aside in marching to win that very same title in Nairobi. How could a team fall that far that quickly?


In my opinion, as much as Kenya played fantastic cricket in 2003, Kenya would certainly not have made the semi finals without the aid of the way that tournament’s points format skewed (probably in attempt to prevent upstarts like Kenya upsetting the apple cart in the first place). That the points Kenya earned from New Zealand’s boycott, and that famous win over Sri Lanka, plus the happy fact that both these teams made the second round meaning Kenya got to keep those point meant Kenya only had to win one match to make the semis. However, I digress. In my opinion that Kenya happened to go so far in that particular tournament (circumstances aside) seems to have blinded all manner of stakeholders in Kenya cricket to long running inadequacies in the game.


I will start with the national team itself. It seems the achievements of 2003 have got into the heads of some of the players in a very negative fashion. One would think they had been ordained gods among men. For a while, it seemed to get them places as cricket Kenya introduced central contracts to pay the core team members and everything seemed to be sailing smoothly. However, somebody forgot to tell the players that cricket Kenya is not a mint and that other projects were crying out for funding too. No… it seems the policy with them is no money no peace! Never mind their standard of play is slipping. Never mind that every year they find yet another opponent to hand that prized first ever win over Kenya. In fact, in this state of rage I could say that their appetite for unearned money can only be bettered in Kenya by our elected MPs. . Never mind the whole lot seem to be related in some weird mafiaesque kind of way.


Then there is the board. Cobbled together from the wreckage of the late Kenya Cricket Association, they started out with plenty of promise. Central contracts were introduced, constitutionalism was enshrined, and the much-maligned Rift Valley branch suddenly metamorphosed into an active affiliate with its own leagues. Then there came a women’s national team, then that women’s team. This was followed by WOMENS YOUTH teams. There was even a national league. Then somewhere along the line, it seems the momentum started dying out. The psyche that brought back the RVCA did not carry over to Central Province (which to the best of my knowledge is still a non-starter). The national league went one season then stalled. Though they occasionally surface for tour games the Kenya A team has not quite become the permanent fixture initially envisioned. Therefore, when the national team’s players fail, it seems they can get away with it because there is hardly any one good enough to replace them. All in all, though Cricket Kenya may have dragged the game of cricket in Kenya out of the funeral home, it is still very much in the ICU. Far from, what Kenya needs to return to the head of the line in demanding test status. Nay retaining the ability to qualify for events like the ICC’s 2 Worlds Cups, perhaps even dominating the East Africa region in the long run.


The big question now is where to go next. I have just read and article by on Cricinfo calling for a total overhaul and though I disagree with one or two specifics I think that on the whole that piece is as close to a fire alarm in a burning house a Cricket Kenya are as likely to hear from anywhere. The player base in Kenya is desperately small and involvement by the citizenry (outside a few International schools and Parkland estate in Nairobi) virtually non-existent. I am sure I have called for it before, and I will call for it again. Cricket Kenya (probably through its provincial affiliates) needs to reach out to the public schools system in a similar way that Kenya Rugby Union did several years back and make the game parts of that school games schedule. That would open the game to a completely new audience on the one hand, and on the other hand tap a colossal resource of potential players in fixed locations (boarding school) for nine out of twelve months of the year. While they are at it, they could consider approaching sports affiliated associations to consider adding cricket to their repertoires. Would it be too much to dream of a Mathare CCC (MYSA) or an Ulinzi Stars CC (Armed Forces)?

Then there is that matter of a national league. Cricket Kenya managed to run a season’s worth of Elite cricket league is much to their credit, but why did the initiative die? Perhaps it might have been better to have the thing focus exclusively on the one format of cricket that the players were not getting at club level (First class) or on the more money-spinning version of T20. Then there may yet be space for that.

Perhaps, it might be the most painful pill to swallow but the national team need their collective egos cut to down to size. With the team returning from Holland any day, know they certainly have no authority to bully any more money from Cricket Kenya than they already have. No other Kenyan national team I am aware of gets as much has it as good as they do and the only sports people who can match their lifestyles earn every single cent of their moneys with their own sweat (or rather with their running shoes.). In fact, if the decision were left entirely up to me, I would pack the lot of them off to an athletics training camp in Iten, or Nyahururu, maybe even Kapenguria and just leave them there until the next assignment. On that cheeky note, I conclude this post.

Kenya land Aussies in World Cup

That's right kids! Kenya have been drawn in the same group as 3 time and current defending World champions Australia in the forthcoming 2011 Cricket World Cup to be hosted in the Asian Subcontinent.

The world cup will revert to the group stage formats used in '99 and 2003 with the participants split into two groups, but unlike previous editions will not likely feature a super 6/8 stage.

Also withe Kenya in Group A are Pakistan (champions in 1992), New Zealand (who are multiple semi finalists) as well as 1996 World Cup champions, Sri Lanka, Canada and Zimbabwe.

The other seven participants in the World Cup: India, Bangladesh, West Indies, Netherlands, Ireland, England and South Africa are in group B.

More from ICC

Real quickie...

Been back in Kenya since mid July and figures i would post a quick one regards to the brief time online and to dust a few of the old cobwebs accumulating on this blog page.


First of all I am on twitter where i have been busy (@sportinkenya) so you can follow me there.

This will be a quick run through all the major events in Kenyan sports in the past month and a half.

The cricket team did well to pick up and away draw in Ireland and a comprehensive win against Canada in the Intercontinental Cup but put the ODI form esp with the increasingly frequent batting collapses is a major cause for concern

FKL should do better that organizing friendly matches on inconvenient dates in dubiously opaque situations. having friendlies at at all is a good thing but Mr Hey and co on the Harambee stars bench need to have more access to all their players so it would make sense to put the games on FIFA allocated dates to guarantee they are all available.

KPL season reaching its climax and Sofapaka have come from nowhere to not only rule the roost on top of the table but they are setting standards money wise. Old timers like Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards take note...

AK did us all proud with the third place finish at the IAAF World championships but surely How is it we could not produce a single athlete in any of the field events needs to be investigated. Can't we even find a single championship quality long jumper at the very least

The Elgon Cup concludes this weekend and prospects for its future and in the balance money wise. Surely what are KRFU doing with Safari sevens that cannot be replicated in the Elgon Cup?


On Boxing Conjestina Achieng is back in the ring good times...

And finally to Cricket Kenya. WAPI HIYO ELITE LEAGUE?

Crucial Update post

Given the events that have occured in the last week leading up to the whole tour I figured I would run this quick one to summarise necessary changes and news realting to THIS BLOG,

1. There is now a Third One Day International scheduled most probably for Stormont, (same venue as the other two. Further details can be found on the facebook event here.
Entry is free

2. The venue for Kenya's Interecontinental Cup match has been confirmed. The game will take place in Eglington. (its on the Northwest coast of Northern Ireland. Look for The Woodvale Road club)

3. Tickets as pointed earlier for all games will be available at the gates, for all these games.

Ticket prices as according to Cricket Ireland's official website

For the intercontinental cup match (3rd-6th July in Eglington)

Entry is free

For the ODI series (9th, 11th and 12th July at

Clontarf Cricket Club Ground) Ticket Prices: Adult €10 OAP € 5 Child € 3 (free if accompanied by an adult) Family Day Ticket - Family 1 €10 (1 adult and 2 kids) Family 2 €20 (2 adults and 2 kids) Tournament Ticket: Adult €20 OAP €10 Child € 6 Tickets available in advance from ticketmaster Ireland and at the gate

Kenya tour to Ireland (July 3rd-July 10th)

Following a less than convincing qualification campaign for the 2011 World Cup, Kenya's attentions now switch to the longer format of the game where they open their efforts to capture (for the first time) the Intercontinental cup from Ireland (the current 3 time defending champions) , by facing them on their own on the 3rd of July. The tour which will also involve two One day Internationals is likely to a baptism of fire for a new coaching set up with word in the press and certain blogs that an ad had been placed for a new head coach and that the shortlist is now down to two candidates. That and the small matter of selecting a new captain following steve Tikolo's decision to step down in April of this year.


This season's tournament see's one major change with Zimbabwe fielding an 'A' team as part of their efforts to rehabilitate and get back to playing test cricket. Aside from that there is the creation of a second division Intercontinental shield. Other changes see Bermuda and Namibia bizzarrely relegated on the back of their poor World Cup Qualifiers, to be replaced by Afghanistan and the A team from Zimbabwe. So far the ICC has only released a handful of matches (amounting to about 1 round) with no indication as when the rest of the schedule (if it exists at all) will be made known to the participants.

Back to the Kenya situation. If the coaching vacancy is were being filled tomorrow, it would leave the new guy some three weeks to gel with the squad and prepare them for what would surely be the most difficult assignment that could reasonably come out of the hat (aside from probably a likely fixture away against Zimbabwe A). However it is likely that the job will stay with Andy Kirsten till just after the Ireland assignment


Last season's meeting between the two sides saw a resurgent, full strength, Ireland thrash Kenya by an innings on a Gymkhana wicket that saw Kenya's bowlers only manage 4 wickets in 160 overs, enabling the Irish to overhaul Kenya in the points table and get back into the final they eventually won against Namibia.

This year it is likely that as many as 6 of the Irish team will be unavailable for at least the Intercontinental cup due to County cricket commitments. However, the Irish are likely to be on a high after once again upsetting the apple cart by making the latter stages of the ongoing World T20 World Cup in England and and will be full of cricket when their opponents arrive in Dublin to face them, having not played a single international match since April.

Full tour fixtures (with facebook event links)

July 3rd-6th
Intercontinental Cup (4 day game)
Ireland vs Kenya
Venue:TBC

July 8th*
One Day International
Ireland v Kenya
Clontarf Cricket Club Ground, Dublin

July 10th*
One day international
Ireland v Kenya
Clontarf Cricket Club Ground, Dublin


Tickets and booking information is likely to be made available here, or here*

EDIT: After pestering several sources for infor this blog can now confirm that tickets will certainly be available only at the gate for at least the two ODIs, and possibly the intercontinental Cup match.

Are we there yet?

Found an interesting little document floating on the web some days ago. It was a PDF purporting to carry what are the various qualifications an aspiring test ought to meet in order to have their application approved. Whether they have been used on the more recent applicants (looks at Bangladesh) is another issue altogether


Now obvoiusly its been a few years since the glory days over here and Kenya cannot reasonably claim, the premier Associate, given the progress of the likes of Ireland and the Netherlands, but I ramble. Going back to the document, there are a few criteria, which I figured I would put on this post on account that Kenya's cricket stakeholders have talked endlessly about meeting them without really getting there

national team performance

record of national team in:
• three/four day matches against first class teams including matches against national
teams of existing Full Members
• performance of individuals in overseas first class cricket
• performance of Second XI/'A' Team
• performance of U19 team in Under 19 World Cup and regional tournaments

Kenya's main access to First Class cricket is the Intercontinental Cup, which for variuos reasons, Kenya has yet to win. Given that the first two years a strike depleted squad actually amed the semifinals, may be argued to be an acheivement in itsel and Kenya were badly hit by having their home games hit bay rain in 2006, that during that time Ireland have won the tournament three years running should raise some alarm bells with the administration. As for Firts class matches agaisnt ful members, Kenya are blessed to actually be able to attract development and academy from the the Sub-continent for tours. Something that no other associates has quite been able to pull off, but if the recent FC results against India A in 2007 and Pakistan Academy are to be repeated they might opt to look for stronger competition elsewhere.

The second point most alarmingly is that (unless one insists on including Grade cricket, which is second tier cricket in Australia) very few Kenyans have made an impact on overseas cricket. In the past 15 years, only four Kenyans have secured playing deals in Overseas leagues in the FC format of the game. Right now only two Kenyans (Ragheb Aga at Sussex, and Seren Waters at Surrey) are signed to teams playing top level cricket.

The third interesting point, is that Kenya can hardly be said to have a functional 'A' team at all. A select XI that toured Zimbabwe in 2008, and a home and away series against Denmark (One day games only) amount to almost the entirety of games played by any team that could purport to call itself kenya's second XI

As for the u19 teams. That we are not even the best team in East Africa saya alot


Cricket Structure

• a country must play regular first class cricket (domestic 3/4 day competition) before playing
Test cricket
• number of teams and players - sufficiently large pool of players to draw from capable of
performing at the highest level of the game.

Kenya's first and so far only attempt to introduce a First Class 3/4 day competition on the domestic level was centered around the Sahara Leagues, (more here) were scuppered by all manner of misfortune, from the PEV, to bad weather and unavailability of plaers due to school etc. As for this season's Sahara Elite league, Cricket Kenya, has yet to make known in the public domain what the plan is there.

on the scond point, now there fact that Rift Valley (allegedly created in a cynical power plot by KCA to undermine Nairobi) has turned out to be a blessing in terma of growth of the game. But is it enough to sustain a test team?


Now there is more where this came from, even positives to be pointed out in the management of the board and finances etc (despite what some may claim) . Also likely to come good from the standards set in the operating manual, are the grounds and facilities, thanks mainly to Cricket Kenya sinking an excess of 18 million KES in preparation for the under 19s World Cup, next year. Nonetheless, it is clear that ther is still plenty of work to be done.

Over to you...

The document

U 19 World Cup preparations

With the U19 World Cup set to be hosted in kenya in 2010, the Coast Province Cricket Association is continuing to receive the benefits of the the new management in Kenyan Crickert with the Coast Gymkhana set to become the province's second international standard cricket venue after Mombasa Sports Club. This is to prepare the ground and, the city of Mombasa to host the ICC event which will see the best U19 talents from all over the World converge in Kenya for the tournament in what should be the highest profile cricket event on Kenyan soil since the 2003 World Cup

As far as player preparation is concerned, Cricket Kenya might want to up the ante with a weakened team failing to dominate at the recent regional qualifiers . However, exam issues aside that the prebiuos U19 crop were unable to qualify for the previuos World Cup, (Namibia and Uganda upstaging them) is one of several things that will probably weigh on the minds of the Kenyans as they take their place as tournament hosts, as well as the disatsrous showing of the lasty Kenya u19 team to play at an u19 World Cup (New Zealand 2001).

EDIT:

I can now confirm that several grounds in Mombasa, Nairobi and indeed Nakuru are getting a fcelift for the U19 World Cup and the money is all coming out of Cricket kenya's pocket. These include, the Rift Valley Sports Club, Greensteds School (both Nakuru), which will be ditching astroturf for proper grass wickets.

As a former Greenie student this leaves me eondering what this means for the other sports that regularly use that field ie. Rugby, Football, Hockey etc...

Wprld Cup qualifiers: Kenya vs. Ireland

Kenya came into this game looking for tyhe win that would guarantee their progression to the 2011 World cup against a team that had already guaranteed their own safe passage in the previuos round. Peter Ongondo and Nehemiah Odhiambo returned to the XI inplace of Seren Waters and Elijah Otieno. A defeat on the other hand would leave Kenya sweating on the other results on the day to preserve even their ODI status.

ist innings

Ireland, fielding quite a few reserve players inpreparationfor the WCQ Final, won the toss and chose to bat fast. they were confronted by a seam attack that was fire. Peter Ongondo and Thomas Odoyo quicky had three batsmen back in the pavilion with only 38 runs on the board. Ireland generally struggled to cope with these two as well as Nehemiah Odiambo and with Tikolo's four overs of finger-spin adding three wikets to their 4. Ireland hobbled to 204/9 off their 50 overs.



2nd innings

Kenya set off on their pusrduit on amarkedy quiet note, and given the sad batting performances of the past two games, caution would undoubtedly have been the watchword. Given the much smaller target that the Irish had set, they also had less pressure on their shoulders to get the job done withing the match itself. So when Kenya lost their first wicket for 17 and their second for 45 it did not reslult in the disintergration that had marked the previuos games as the Scorecard continued to rumble on at just less than 4 runs an over. When kenya they took the last powerplay they needed to score at close to 8 runs an over to see them selves home with Collins Obuya and Thomas Odoyo at the crease. But the two proved that they had more than enough musle to see Kenya home with 12 deliveries to spare.



implications
Kenya just miss out of aplace in the final of this tournament by the slimmest of margins. They now face The Netherlands in a mostly meaningless 3rd/4th place playoff on the 19th of April
In cricket terms Kenya book their place in the 2011 World Cup, but They also secure an automatic qualification for the Intercontinental Cup and ODI status for the next four years. It means they have the privilege to continue asking full members Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Australia India et al) fully recognised One Day internationals (whether they respond positively is a whole nother matter). They also become one of 6 nations to participate in the World Cricket League Division 1, (date and venue to be confirmed) . In finacial terms they have earned a 3ook USD grant for being one of the ICC's HPP nations, and an extra 300k USD to prepare for the next World Cup.



Scorecard

World Cup Qualifiers: Kenya vs Namibia

Following two less than sub-par batting performances, Kenya finally brought down the axe to strengthen the batting. However, it was bowling allrounder, Nehemiah Odhiambo, who found himself tossed into the cold to make space for Seren Waters. aside from that there were bo other changes as Elijah Otieno's performance with the ball was good enough to keep him in the XI ahead of the veteran Peter Ongondo.

1st innings

Kenya won the toss again and this time opted to field first. However it seems that the demons that had plagued the batting had moved on to Kenya's bowling as Namibia's opening batsmen steamrolled their way to 191 before some sharp work behind the stumps from Maurice Ouma of Lameck Onyango's bowling saw the end of JB Burger. Burger left having scored an audaciuos 125 runs from 96 deliveries. The next four wickets came in far quicker as the namibian innings began to deflate and the spectre of Kenya chasing a 300+ began to fade. 2 run outs and wickets for hiren Varaiya and Thomas Odoyo reduced Namibia to 243/5 with 7 overs left in their innings. Namibia nevertheless rallied late on to 305 all out, setting Kenya a target of 306 to win

2nd innings

Kenya were immediately off to the races piling on the runs and despite the early loss of Kennedy Otieno, 27 runs off the first three overs, but Kenya's familiar batting woes would not go away as both Waters and Obanda ere out cheaply to leave Kenya 35/3 and from there it was all down hill as Kenya sunk to 104 all out to hand Namibia a enourmous 201 run victory. Only three batsmen, Maurice Ouma, Collins Obuya and Thomas Odoyo made it into double figures aand in the end the innings was over in 30 overs.


implications

The size of Kenya's defeat effectively wipes out the advantage of NRR that they had coming into the match leaves them in a perilous tied with two other teams (Netherlands, UAE) on 6 points fighting for that last qualifying place for the World Cup, ahead of their match against Ireland on the 17th.

Scorecard

World Cup Qualifiers: Kenya vs Scotland

Kenya came into this match needing a solid performance to bury the ghosts of Saturday's shocking implosion with the bat against Canada. Even so, none of the batsmen involved in the deabacle was dropped as Kenya opted to keep the faith in their batting line up. In the bowling department. Elijah Otieno came in in plce of Peter Ongondo.

1st innings

Having won the toss, Kenya chose to tempt fate by batting first and though This time their openers were mare cautious guiding Kenya to 30/0 after 6 overs, thing started to take a worryingly familiar turn when they promptly lost 4 wickets in the space of four overs with only 19 runs scored. Once again it was down to kenya's middle and lower order to stop the rot. Collins Obuya (32 off 66 balls), Thomas Odoyo (26 of 72 balls) and James Kamande (18 of 29) once again reprising what must now be the annoyingly familiar role of digging Kenya out of yet another hole. Kenya being at 49/4 when the first of them went in to bat and 129/7 when Odoyo was the last of the three to depart. Kenya eventually manages 177 all out with Hiren Varaiya, and Nemi Odhiambo providing late entertainemnt each scoring 20.

2nd innings

Scotland's innings started on a rather quiet not with Odoyo and Otieno bowling tidily at the start. But given the low target they were chasing Scottish were under no pressure to score quickly. Nonethelss Keny'a bowler's stuck to their task and soon were rewarded whe Odoyo bowled Gavin Hamilton for 17. and soon after Kenya got a second wicket when Maurice Ouma was sharp enough to effect a stumping off a wide Lameck Onyango delivery. Then Scotland started to unravel. First, their captain Ryan Watson (1) was trapped infront of his crease by a Lameck Onyango delivery, then Colin Smith getting himself run out (9) and then Nehemiah Odhiambo getting an lbw decision to get rid of kyle Coetzer for 16 to leave Scotland at 65/5. Odhiambo struck again to leave the score 82/6. Nontheless Scotland battled on with Jan Stander nagging the tail onwards with Craig Wright offering support carrying the score to 130 before losing his wicket to leave Scotland needing 47 runs off their last three wickets to win the game. Stander was the next to go , with the Scots at 138. The Scots finally took their last powerplay with 5 overs left and just 30 for the win but promptly lost their last two wickets to Lameck Onyango.

implications

Kenya's batting suffred again but on this occasion the bowling stood up to be counted withe the Ngoche brothers (Lameck and Nehemiah) picking up 6 wickets to see Kenya home and just about hanging on to one of four World Cup places. (They are third on 6 points only ahead of the Dutch on Net run Rate and Scotland in 5th by 2 points). Their final two matches are against namibia (2 points) and group leaders Ireland

Just what is at stake in all this

Scorecard

Worls cup Qualifiers: Kenya vs Canada

Kenya's first match of the Super 8 stage and it was against a canada side that had won 4 out their 5 matches in their group. Kenya's regular XI were restorted for this match in which a win against one of two other teams on 4 points at the start of the Super 8s would be a big step forward in securing a place in the finals. Even Nehemiah Odhiambo was beack having recovered from whetevr ailment kept him out of the win against Bermuda.

1st innings

Kenya were sent in to bat and were soon in all sorts of turmoil as within 10 overs 5 batsmen had been dismissed for single figure scores and the entire innings was looking finished before it had even got started at 51 runs for the loss of 5 wickets. Ex-Ugandan Henry Osinde was the man doing the damage for Canada finishing with 4 wickets for 39 runs. Things would get worse before they got better as only 20 runs when Mautice Ouma, the only top order batsman to get his score past 10 suffered his customary head explosion and Kenya wer looking over the abyss with the score reading 71/6.
It was here that the two batsmen at the crease, Jimmy Kamande, and Hiren Varaiya, ostensibly in the XI for their ability to bowl finger-spin, began the firefighting exercise that dragged Kenya's final total to a barely excusable 181 all out. Kamande was the top scorer hitting a valuable 61 off 86 balls. Other firefighters were Hiren Varaiya who held out for 41 deliveries to get to 13. and nehemiah Odhiambo who hit 3 fours and a six before he was left stranded on an unbeaten score of 34 of 45 deliveries.

2nd innings

Canada ere off to the races chasing down an relitely easy target of of 182 with one Riwaz Cheema, in partcularly explosive form, dealing exclusively in boundaries for his first 38 runs. Canada were running away with the game scoring an astronomical 60 runs off 6 overs mostly off the back of Cheema's efforts. Kenya finally got the better of him when he lobbed a Nehemiah Odhiambo delivery to Alex Obanda to finish just one runs short of his 50. A second wicket with the Canadians on 83, slowed them further and even with Kamande's spin picking up a further Kenya's poor batting earlier proved their downfall.

implications

Following 4 solid batting performances against fairly docile attacks Kenya have certainly been brought back to earth with an enourmous thump. Hopefully it will be a wake up call to the batsmen to raise their collective game ahead of matches against Scotland, Namibia and finally Ireland
EDIT: Fortunately for Kenya, the group leaders Ireland also lost their opening day match against Afghanistan meaning that though they (Kenya) slip out of the two finalist slots, The two teams at the top of the pool remain only two points ahead of Kenya with three matches to play.
Scorecard

World Cup Qualifiers : Kenya vs Denmark.

With pretty much nothing riding on this game,Kenya made three changes bringing in Rakep Patel, Rajesh bhudia and Seren Waters, in and giving James Kamande, Thomas Odoyo and Lameck Onyango a rest. For the Danes it was a last opportunity to walk away from tournaments with at least one win under their belts, whilst Kenya's motivation would be the extra NRR they would get for a win.

1st innings

Having won the toss Steve Tikolo sent in the Danes and they duly began to collapse, with Elijah Otieno picking two early wickets and Obanda occasioning a run out to leaving the Danes at 4 wickets down for only 52 runs scored. Their scoring never really picked up any momentum and they eventually crawled to 173/8 from their 50 overs. Elijah Otieno had the best bowling figures returning 3/51 from his 10 overs, with Peter Ongondo, Steve Tikolo, and hiren varaiya all getting a wicket each.

2nd innings

As expected Kenya started brightly rapidly accumulating 34 before Ouma edged one behind to walk for 24 (perhaps a trend that he has consistently been Kenya's 1st wicket to fall). That mishap, however harly slowed kenya down as they continued smoothly on to 100 Seren waters and Collins Obuya at the crease. The pair eventually saw Kenya home with waters scoring 61.

implications

Kenya thus finish round one top of Group B and carry with them 4 points from victories over fellow qualifiers (Afghanistan and UAE) into the Super 8 stage. There they will play Ireland (6 points), Canada (4 points), Scotland (2 points), Namibia (0 points) with the top two teams at the end of this stage contesting the final and the third and forth placed teams getting tthe last two World cup slots available to Associates.

Scorecard

World Cup Qualifiers: Kenya vs Bermuda

With the momentum in the group now frimly refained, Kenya went into this match against a Bermuda team with only one win in the tournament expected to make short work of their opponents and confirm their place in the Super 8 with a match to spare. Elijah Otieno made his tournament debut in place of Nehemian Odhiambo, who pulled out injured bowling against Afghanistan, whilst the rest of the team remained largely unchanged.

1st innings

Bermuda, having been sent in after losing the toss, set about trying to build a total in the old fashioned way i.e slow and steady, taking 30 overs to get to 100, but they till had 9 wickets in hand (Varaiya doing the damage removing Ian? Crockwell for a 89 ball 45). bermuda then finally decided to attack with a succession of batsmen scoring rapid 30s before getting out. All the while their other opener, David Hemp, a player of over 15 years experience held the fort compiling a 102 from 152 balls that would not have looked out of place in a test match as Bermuda reached 259/5 off their alloted overs.

2nd innings.

As it were ODI cricket is not Test cricket and Kenya's opebers (Maurice Ouma in particular) set about Bermuda's pace bowlers with all out aggression putting on the first 50 runs off just under 7 overs and forcing the Bermuda captain to bring on his spinners early to stem the tide. The run rate slowed but only slightly as Kenya's opening partnership eventually putting on 97 before Ouma was out (57 off 60). Obanda fell soon afterwards going after one too many sixes. With the veterans Tikolo and Otieno at the crease however, the Kenya chase was not hampereed as they put on a further 56 runs at 6 runs an over for the 3rd wicket. When Otieno was finally adjudged to be lbw for 63 the game was virtually safe.

implications

kenya's third win in a row guarantees them qualification for the Super 8 stages and with their final match being against Denmark having little consequence given the Dane's have lost all their matches so far, it might be the time to give some of the squad members a chance to see how they deal with the conditions. Rakep Patel and Rajesh Bhudia have yet to play a competive match (except as fielding substitutes) whilst Seren Waters could benefit from a second game.

Scorecard

World Cup qualifiers : Kenya vs. Afganistan

Kenya finally got a go at the World cricket league's hottest news item when they played Afganistan. Having sensationally come all the way through 3 different qualifying tournaments winning all three and only losing two matches along the way, its was certainly going to be interesting how the new boys held up against Kenya, the most experienced ICC assiciate on the block. kenya's lineup reamined largely unchanged from Thursday, with Maurice Ouma opening alongside Kennedy Otieno, Alex Obanda batting at number three and Seren Waters, once again missing out.

1st innings

Having won the toss Afghanistan sent Kenya in to bat and though not batting rapidly, Kenya's openers put on 87 for the first wicket before Ouma lost his wicket for 35 runs. However Kenya's batting was looking far more solid with Obanda and Otieno taking the score to 175, before Obanda was caught and bowled by Norooz Mangal, having scored 60 off just 63 deliveries. Kennedy Otieno would go on to complete his first century of the tournament (an unbeaten 109 off 136) anchoring Kenya to a total of 282/5.

2nd innings

Afghanistan opened their innings on an aggressive note scoring 20 runs off the first three overs with Thomas Odoyo coming in for some heavy hitting. However Kenya struck back almost immediately when Ongondo had Karim Sadiq caught by Otieno fo 8. Odoyo then bowled Mohhameed Shezad for 4. Odoyo then went on to take the next two wickets trapping Shafiqullah on his crease lbw (25) and then forcing Norwoz Mangal to edge a delivery to wicketkeeper Maurice Ouma. From then on Kenya were pretty much in charge and the Afghans evntually subsided to 175 all out with tjhe only consolation being Mohammed Nabi's 56 off 71 balls.


implications

With the Dutch staring at a shock defeat against UAE, Kenya are back on the front foot in this group. Should the Arabs sneak through into the Super 8s together with the other likely teams in good form in the group to qualify (The Netherlands and Afghaistan) Kenya will start the Super 8s with at least 4 points in the bag. However,they have to make sure they do not slip up.

Scorecard

World cup Qualifiers:Kenya v. UAE

Alex Obanda made his return to the XI with Maurice Ouma further promoted to open the batting alongside, rival for the wicketkeeping duties, Kennedy Otieno. Seren waters was the man making way at the top of the order as the bowling unit remained largely the same. As it was Obanda hradly got to face a delivery as Kenya marched home in style chasing a paltry 80 runs in 12 overs to win by 9 wickets. to do their net runrate a world of good

1st innings

Batting first, the arabs were no match for the Kenyan pace attack led by Lameck Onyango, who collected career best list A bowling figures of 6 wickets for 14 runs of his ten overs allocation. Only two UAE batsmen got into double figures as their team collapes in a heap 79 all out in 30 overs.

2nd innings

Opening once again Maurice Ouma finished what Lameck had started blasting 50 off 38 deliveries to deliver Kenya to the brink of victory before getting out lbw with only 10 runs to go.

implications

An especially comfortable victory for Kenya means that in the highly unlikely event that the Dutch slip up against the rest of the cannon fodder in the group Kenya may yet emerge top and if Kenya mop up the rest of the oppiosiyion with this kind of proffesionalism they may yet nullyfy the disadvantage of losing their opening match against the Dutch.

Kenya now have a rest day before they take on the tournament's media darlings Afghanistan, who whilst may not be as strong as the Dutch will certainly be a sterner test that the UAE today.
Scorecard

Worl Cup Qualifiers:Kenya v. Netherlands

Taking the cue from my counterparts I will be be posting brief summaries of the games as Kenya looks to qualify for thr 2011 cricket World Cup.

For those of you who do not know Kenya are in group B with The Dutch, UAE, Bermuda, Denmark and Afghanistan. The top four who qualify for the Super 8 where ther business of ends up where is finaally settled.

So into the action

Game 1 v. Holland
With the mercurial Alex Obanda missing the first game Morris Ouma was pushed up the order to fill his position batting at three. Kenya opt for the extra bowler in thye shape of veteran Lameck Onyango. Giving the team the option of four pace bowlers (Odoyo, Ongondo, Odhiambo, Onyango) as well as the spin option of Tikolo, Varaiya and Kamande.

1st innings
Having won the toss Steve Tikolo opted to bat first, But Kenya soon had both openers back in the pavilion for single figures as the Dutch bowlers made good use of the new ball and by the 17th over Kenya were 4 wickets down with only 61 runs scored with an implosion looking likely. However with Thomas Odoyo(36 off 73 balls) Collins Obuya (24 off 58 balls) digging in to carry Kenya into triple digits, the worst was avoided and when Jimmy Kamande came on an pile to score a heavily adrenaline charged 58 runs off 50 deliveries, allied to some lusty hitting from Nemi Odhiambo (29 off 17 with 2 sixes), Kenya were able to battle their way to a failry competitive 247/8 off their allocated 50 overs.

2nd innings

The Dutch beging their chase fairly slowly Ongondo and Odoyo, doing well to keep them from making much use of their first two powerplays. The change of bowling brought early reward for Kenya with the introduction of Lameck Onyango and Nemi Odhiambo sparkimg a mini-collapse. But just as it looked like Kenya were about to land a killer blow, The Dutch struck back through Bas Ziuderent and Ryan Ten Doeschate hitting 13 of Varaiya's first over and then a further 14 of Odhiambo's 6th to put themselves right back in the game and with rain looming the advantage through Duckworth-Lewis ( the score being128/3). From then on it was just a matter of keeping the scorecard ticking over which they managed despite the best efforts of Kenya's spinners to stem the scoring. What could have been a hard fought chase then gradually became a procession as Both Zuiderant and Ten Doeschate (distinctly a class above anyone else on the field) raised their 50s as The Dutch crossed 200 hundred with 10 overs to spare, before Ten doeschate confirmed his class by crossing 100 with only few runs left to get to guide the Dutch across the line to an easy 7 wicket win.

Implications

Though Netherlands are a long way the most difficult opposition Kenya will face in this group, the likelybility that the Dutch will go on and steamroll everybody else in the group means that if bothe go through as is likelythe Dutch will have the extra two points in the pocket right from the off (as will Ireland from their victory over Scotland if scotland go through). Which with the higher quality opposition anticipated in the super 8 stage means Kenya will need to raise their standards a level or two by then.

Scorecard here

The Reckoning.

21st of April 2009. This date could very well be the most important one in the history of cricket in Kenya not only as a matter of the national team's pre-eminence as the most powerfulf team outside the test scene but of the legitimacy of the board that, has found itself facing a mounting barrage of criticism from often suspect quarters over their struggle to re-create the miracle that was Kenya's semi-final run in the 2003 World Cup. This date is scheduled to host the final of the ICC World Cup Qualifiers set to start on April the 1st and the future of Kenyan cricket hinges very much on whether they will be playing a central, or peripheral role in proceedings on that day. I could wax lyrical on the fixtures and teams etc, here but I already have See here

Much has changed since then especially in global cricket with the International Cricket Council (that pretty much funds all non-test cricket and is supposed to be in charge of the global game) increasingly a bit part player in the power games of its larger full members i.e the BCCI (India), the ECB (England and Wales), CA (Australia) and the CSA (South Africa). More significantly has been the end of permanent ODI status which Kenya enjoyed from 1997? to 2005 for a temporary status ODI status which has increasingly put pressure on the teams that hold that status to put results out on the pitch to hang on to the ICC's funding.

Much of Kenya's developement hinges on not only securing a place on the plane to the subcontinent in 2011, and the extra funding that comes to the teams that end up in the ICC's World Cricket League Division One, as well as first proirity when it comes to whatever process the ICC deems fit to select their token Associate representaives at such cash cows as the upcoming T20 World Cup in England later this year.

25 all out

Those of you who have been fann's for long enough will remember the spetacular manner in which they embedded themselves into World Cricket's collective psyche. It turns out that they are not the only ones who have some from nowhere to make a mockery of the West Indies batting.

The video below is footage of a tour match the West Indies (featuring such legends as Clyve Wallcott and Clyve Lloyd) played against Ireland whilst on tour that they lost chasing 60? odd for the win