Kenyacricket Reaches Half Century

This may have actually happened some time back, as I only started counting a few weeks ago. Last night, a small milestone ticked over with a guest to the site from Mexico making it 50 different countries that people have visited from. I am including here only those who have stayed long enough to read something of what is written, not the 3 second spam visits which would probably have me include the whole of Eastern Europe as well as most of Asia. While many of these visits will be from Kenyans abroad, I think it is a good illustration of cricket as a global sport. If a small site such as mine has visitors from such a number of countries in a reletively short period of time, imagine the results from the bigger more international sites like cricinfo etc.

Anyway, in light of there being no other news that I am aware of, I thought that as cricket is very much a game of statistics, this would be an appropriate post. My thanks to all those who have visited, and especially to those who for some strangely masochistic reason felt inclined to return. Have a great Easter weekend!

Introducing the Mbuni Award

For those that don't speak Kiswahili, Mbuni means Ostrich. This award is not on any set time frame and will be awarded to the person related to cricket who has made the biggest fool of themselves by having their utterances proven wrong. Why Mbuni? - well we should all know the expression 'egg on the face'. I was thinking about Ricky Ponting's quote about Bangladesh not deserving Test Status the other day when the Aussies were looking down the barrel of the follow on. The only bird big enough to lay an egg that big would be the Ostrich. I had a couple of beers. I slept on the idea. Australia dug themselves out of trouble and won the match, but I believe the egg remains firmly smeared all over Ponting's mug. So without further ado, I give you the inaugral holder of The Mbuni Award: Ricky Ponting.

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If anyone hears of someone else deserving of this accolade, let me know and the title shall change hands. My next candidate is Matthew Engel, but we will have to wait until the next Associate defeat of a Test team. As the closest scheduled match is still a while away, the egg should be nice and rotten by then. Just what he deserves.

When people who should know better in fact show they know nothing.

Matthew Engel is the editor of, up till now, one of the most respected publications in cricket - the Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. In the 2006 edition's editorial he has come out in strong opposition to the ICC's expansion program arguing against the globalisation of the game and the elevation of the 6 Associates to One Day status. My respect for Wisden has now fallen through completely. In fact this year for the first time, I will not be buying a copy of the almanack. I urge everyone out there who is from an Associate or Affiliate country, or who derived any enjoyment from watching any of the non-test nations compete at the last World Cup to do the same.

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Once again it is a differently worded version of the same tired old elitist mantra: "You were't born in a Test playing nation, therefore you are incapable of developing into a quality player". What a load of bullshit. The reason they do not develop is because idiots like him keep them from playing enough matches to fulfil their potential. Part of his argument is that most of the players in the lower ranked affiliate nations are expatriates. How on Earth does he think games like football and golf spread around the World? Maybe one day everyone just woke up and decided that they could play them without being shown how or told the rules. I wonder if he has bothered to actually sound out the indigenous players from any of the growing nations. I doubt it - not having been born into a Test nation, they are probably not worth talking to anyway. As for the weakening of the World Cup, I don't see how this is possible. With the group stage structured as it is, only the best teams will go through to the next round, so giving the competition its elite status, while the up and coming nations give the title 'World'. For an event that only includes the top teams, there is the Champions Trophy - look at which has the better public support.

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He says that the Associates will never be able to compete against any of the Test teams. I wonder where he was last World Cup when Kenya not only defeated Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, but were also one of the closest teams to beating eventual champions Australia. Cricket is a growing sport in each of the Associate members elevated to ODI status, the ICC are doing exactly the right thing in aiding this. They are called the International Cricket Council not the Test Cricket Council for a bloody good reason.

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Engel should go back to his musty old cupboard and polish his suite of armour. Then preferably put it on and go for a walk along a slippery path above a deep lake. Leave the cricket organisers alone to do what is a much needed and so far highly commendable job. They can be criticised for much, but for a publication that feeds on cricket to cry out against their attempts to globalise the game is idiocy at its most contemptable.

Vale Shekhar Mehta: RIP

Sad news for any Kenyan sports fan - Shekhar Meta passed away in a London Hospital yesterday. Meta won the Safari Rally 5 times during the 70s and 80s and was one of the heroes for my generation. When I was running round the garden as a kid irritating the neighbours by blowing rasperries and doing my best to sound like a rally car, it was always him that I imagined myself to be. I know that I wasn't the only one with that thought. He was a great sportsman, and worked tirelessly for Kenyan Rallying after he stopped competing. I don't think Kenya has a hall of fame for its sportsmen as yet, but his name will certainly be in there when we do. Thoughts go to his wife and family. Rest In Peace Shekhar Meta.

Cricket To Feature in Oshwal Games

Cricket is among the 17 disciplines that will feature in the Oshwal games which kick off in Nairobi tomorrow. I don't know much more that that, but there is a longer report on the games themselves in the Kenya Times. Any cricket played in Kenya is good as far as I'm concerned, so all the best to those competing.

Kenya A tour to Denmark - Provisional Itinerary

It has been confirmed that the Kenya 'A' team will be touring Denmark between the end of June and early July. Initial reports from Nairobi are that it will be a full Kenya 'A' team touring, though the squad is yet to be finalised.

This tour will be a great opportunity for the younger players to gain exposure and experience of being in a touring side. They are expected to play 4 matches against club sides, and 2 against the full Denmark side. All credit to those involved for organising this tour. Hopefully, it will be the first of many such outings for the A side. Utilisation of a feeder team will certainly make the step from club cricket to playing for country that much easier for up and coming players.

The provisional ininerary is as follows:

Fri 23rd June - Arrive Billund and transfer to Lind - Hotel Lyngaardia

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Sat 24th June - Game against Herning CC - Herning CC

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Sun 25th June - Rest/Practice - Hotel Lyngaardia/Herning
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Mon 26th June - Game against Skanderborg CC - Skanderborg CC
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Tue 27th June - Rest/Practice - Hotel Lyngaardia/Herning
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Wed 28th June - Game against Esbjerg CC - Esbjerg CC
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Thurs 29th June - Rest/Travel to Copenhagen - Idraettens Hus (S.C)
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Fri 30th June - Rest/Practice - Idraettens Hus
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Sat 1st July - DENMARK v KENYA A - Svanholm Park, National Danish Cricket Stadium
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Sun 2nd July - DENMARK v KENYA A - Svanholm Park, National Danish Cricket Stadium
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Mon 3rd July - Rest/Practice - Idrcettens Hus
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Tue 4th July - Rest/Practice - Idrcettens Hus
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Wed 5th July - Game against Glostrup CC - Glostrup CC
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Thu 6th July - Depart for Nairobi

Bangladesh efforts against Australia good for Kenya

It is with great joy that I have been watching the events unfold in Fatullah. A few weeks ago, Kenya were in Bangladesh and being beaten soundly by basically the same team that is now doing so well against Australia. Many of those who looked at the 4-0 scoreline put it down to how far Kenya had fallen. Even in Bangladesh, this seemed to be the prevalent attitude. There were not many out there who looked at the results and gave the Bangladesh team credit for how much they have improved. Good results against Sri Lanka were dismissed, as were other upsets that Bangladesh achieved over the last year. It has taken a visit from the World number ones and a 150 odd first innings lead to finally get the pundits to say 'hang on a minute, these guys can actually play'. Damn right they can play, and as I said in my posts on Banglacricket after the Kenya series, it will not be too long before the major teams are looking at Bangladesh as a must-play opponent. One that will be tougher and tougher to beat over the coming years. I am glad for their sake that they are doing well this match - how satisfying it must be to have put the team captained by Ricky Ponting under the wringer after his disparaging comments about Bangladesh cricket last year.

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I am also exceedingly glad from a Kenyan perspective as well. Bangladesh have proved in their series against Sri Lanka, and so far in this match that they are a genuine Test match team. As such they are expected to whitewash teams like Kenya, that are not. Despite losing, we gradually improved against them, and indeed there were moments in both of the last two matches were it looked as though Kenya could win. I know Tests and ODIs are a different game, but the point is we were able to not only learn from the experience, but also begin to compete. Losing is never great, but it neither was it the shameful result that was painted by many.

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Then there is the feel that if they can do it, why can't we. Let me clarify here - the cricket culture in Bangladesh is completely different to that in Kenya at the moment. It is not going to happen overnight that we can build such public support and produce World beating players. It will be a long hard slog for Kenya to get to the same level. Bangladesh have shown though that it can be done. Once, they were our fiercest rivals and regular victims. We must work hard to ensure that we return to this as the status quo. One thing I can guarantee is that the only way this will happen is for Kenya to grow the game, inspire the support of the public and improve a great deal. Bangladesh are not likely to look back in a hurry.

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The match in Fatullah is still a long way from being concluded. There are still two days to play, and Australia are not the World's top ranked team for nothing. They will be pulling out all stops to ensure they still win this match, or at the worst draw. Again this is heartening for Kenya. On return from Bangladesh, a similar thing happened to us against Holland. They batted first, and after a couple of days, we were fighting the follow on. Like Fatullah, it was a great effort from one man that saved it, and then in the second Dutch innings Kenya made inroads into the batting line-up. Summary reports said that Holland ran out of time. I wonder, if the next two days are lost in this first Test, whether the headlines would read 'Bangladesh run out of time'. One of the great things about cricket is its ability to turn in an instant. With more time, it was still possible, if unlikely, that Kenya could have gone on to win in Nairobi. Just as Australia could well come back to win this match.

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For the sake of Bangladesh though, and for all the wannabes in the Associate fold who will be looking to emulate them, lets hope they can go on and notch up a victory against the top ranked team in the World. Maybe, just maybe, people like Ricky Ponting will lose some of their arrogance and realise that there are plenty of great cricketers out there if only they are given the right chance and are nurtured correctly. Cricket is a great game, and efforts to spread it should be encouraged, not opposed. Who knows, in ten years time it could be Kenya or Holland who are making the World number one team fight to avoid the follow on. Roll on that day, and roll on the Bangladesh team in Fatullah!

Link From Wikipedia

To whoever put a link to here from wikipedia's page on Kenyan Cricket, thank you. May fleas of a thousand camels infest the armpits of your enemies, and other such lovely blessings. Their history of the game in Kenya is quite interesting, though not as in depth on the domestic game as the history on Friends of Kenya Cricket - UK, which now seems to be back up and running after a lengthy slumber. They have added a couple of new links including one to here (jolly good fellows what!). Good to see a link also to Kongonis. Gradually it seems that supporters of Kenyan cricket are waking up, and shaking off the fuzz induced by the last couple of years. I will be updating my links to take these developments into account, but if anyone has any other live links to sites dealing with Kenyan Cricket that I have missed, let me know.

Nakuru Akshar League Standings after 5 matches

TEAM...........Pld....Won....Lost...Bat....Bwl......Win...Total Pts
VOC...............2........1..........1........1.........8.........12.........21
AKSHAR.B....2.......1...........1........4........5..........12........21
KERICHO......1.......1...........0.......4.........4.........12........20
AKSHAR.A....1.......1...........0.......4.........4.........12........20
ELDORET.....1........1..........0........1.........4.........12.........17
DIAMOND....2.......0.........2.........3........6..........0..........9
NAIVASHA...1........0..........1........0........3..........0..........3

Sunil Half-Century helps Akshar B to victory

Sunday saw the fifth match of the Akshar League in Nakuru delayed due to the long awaited arrival of the rains. Saturday night brought a heavy downpour to Nakuru, making the scheduled ten O'Clock start impossible for the clash between Akshar B and Diamond Team. After spreading almost 8 sacks of sawdust in the inner circle and allowing the outfield to dry, the game commenced at 11 a.m.

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Diamond Team won the toss and decided to bat, a decision they initially were to regret. Ramesh, making a comeback to play for Akshar B after 4 years, was spot on in line and length, and together with Ravi had diamond team reeling at 8 down for only 83. Minesh and Jignesh made a spirited fight back with a partnership of 73 runs, which helped the team reach a very respectable total of 156 runs.

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In reply, Akshar B made a bad start by losing two wickets for 18 runs. A superb 94 run partnership between Sunil, who made the first Half-Century of the tournament, and Hiren then brought Akshar B in reach of victory.
The match nearly turned again in the last few overs as Vimal of Diamond struck 4 times in his last two to give Diamond a sniff of victory.
Rakesh and Shailesh however kept their wickets intact and were able to see Akshar B home to win by 3 wickets.

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Scorecard:
Diamond won the toss and elected to bat.

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Diamonds Innings:
Indravadan..................Ct Hiren............Ramesh........21
Bakul............................Ct Sunil.............Ramesh........00
Kakul............................Ct Jaimin..........Ramesh........15
Raju..............................Ct & B...............Ravi...............05
Amit.............................LBW..................Ravi...............00
Kiran Singh.................Ct Shailesh........Hiren............06
Minesh.........................Bowled...............Kalpesh........36
Ghanshyam..................Ct & B................Raju.............04
Jignesh.........................Ct Rakesh..........Raju.............28
Jiggar...........................Not Out...................................00
Extras............................................................................36
Total for 9 wickets......................................................156
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Akshar B Innings:
Ravi.............................Bowled.................Kiran...........02
Viral............................Ct & B..................Kiran..........04
Hiren..........................Ct Ghanshyam.....Vimal.........29
Sunil...........................Bowled..................Vimal.........57
Kalpesh......................Bowled...................Vimal.........03
Raju...........................Bowled...............Indravadan....19
Rakesh.......................Not Out.....................................06
Jaimin.......................Bowled..................Vimal...........04
Shailesh.....................Not Out.....................................04
Vipul..........................Did not bat
Ramesh......................Did not bat
Extras...........................................................................29
Total for 7 wickets.......................................................157

Points:

Diamond Team: 3 Batting, 2 Bowling. Total: 7

Akshar B: 3 Batting, 3 Bowling, 12 Win. Total: 18

Coast Gymkhana Reign Supreme

In between the Twenty-20 and Fifty overs tournaments that they have their sights on, it appears that Coast Gymkhana are also trouncing the opposition in a friendly tri-series they have organised. The full write up of the competition can be found here on Coastweek, so for a better read and description of the goings on that is the place to go.

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For those with less time, here are the results in a crabshell:

Coast Gymkhana 10/218 Bt Simba Union 8/176.

Cutch Leva 10/162 Lst to Coast Gymkhana 4/163.

Cutchi Leva 10/186 Bt Simba Union 10/145.

Simba Union 10/86 Lst to Coast Gymkhana 6/87.

Cutchi Leva 10/139 Lst to Coast Gymkhana 4/140.

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Six half centuries have so far been scored in the tournament:

Maisam (S.U) 99 & 50, Stewart Kayne (Gym) 62, Chetan (C.L) 56, Kishar (C.L) 55, and Harish (Gym) 51.

Only 1 bowler has a 4 wicket haul so far, Chetan (C.L), but there have been ten 3 wicket efforts coming from Zuhair (S.U) 2, Sadpal (S.U), Bhavik (Gym), Dinesh (Gym), Ramzan (S.U), Harish (C.L), Harish Pindorea (Gym), Kake (S.U) and Kayne (Gym).

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All in all, not only very good practice for the teams involved in the lead up to the 50 over league, but a good showcase for the Mombasa players' skills as well. It is about time that the Coast teams got to play the Nairobi teams to give us a true indication of how their cricket is faring, and for their players to get a real chance of making it to the national team. In the meantime, great to hear of cricket being played regularly at the coast, and also to see it reported in the local press. Keep up the good work Gymkhana and Coastweek!

Tikolo Your Favourite From Holland Match

Well no surprises there. As I said in my letter to the Nation - that was one of the best batting performances we are ever likely to have the good fortune to experience on Kenyan soil by a Kenyan. Tikolo has played some fine innings, but to save a match that looked almost dead and buried, and to look so in control under that pressure was truly a Great effort.

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The Kenyan Captain easily topped the poll with 40% followed by Peter Ongondo with 16% and Ashish Karia with 12%. Those three will take the primary points from the public that go towards the end of year awards. Narrowly missing out were Tony Suji with 10% and Hitesh Modi 9%. Other to receive votes were Maurice Ouma 4%, Thomas Odoyo and Rajesh Bhudia on 3% and Brijal Patel on 1%. Just as in a real Kenyan election, there does seem to be a couple of percent unnacounted for. No idea why, that's just how the results came out.

It was interesting to see where the public support for players lies. Tikolo and Ongondo I felt were fairly obvious choices for the top two slots. The third one, I initially though would be between Karia and Modi. Obviously Tony Suji has some loyal fans out there though, as do Ouma and Odoyo. Of the 11 Kenyan players to take the field, only Tanmay Mishra and Collins Obuya failed to poll at least one vote. Thanks again to all those who voted, your support is more than appreciated!

Two Letters to The Nation

Good to see the Nation printing two letters from cricket fans in its Sportsbox section yesterday. One was less than complementary about the efforts made by Cricket Kenya, and I think a little unfair. I also think that if one is prepared to go to the trouble to write a critical letter, one should be brave enough to put your own name to it. Still, at least it shows that people out there care about the game, and that in itself is a good point. The second letter came from yours truly, and was about Tikolo not getting the recognition he deserved for his doubly century. To read the letters, go to the Saturday sports section, and follow the link to Sportsbox.