Cricket Kenya organise Media Challenge

Well after so much sniping from the media it seems that Cricket Kenya have finally decided that it is time to make a more concerted effort to get them to understand the game. Most of reporters on cricket in Kenya do not and have not played themselves so Cricket Kenya has organised an Inter Media Challenge for November 7th 2009.

They have invited teams from the following media groups to participate:

i) Standard Media Group,
ii) The Nation Media Group,
iii) The Kenya Broadcasting Corporation,
iv) The People Daily,
v) Africa One Media (Kiss FM, Jambo Fm, Classic FM, East FM etc)

Format will be eight a-side 10-overs per innings matches and will give the players a good insight into what playing the game really entails. Not only will they get the opportunity to play on the day but Cricket Kenya will also organise training sessions for each of the teams so that they can gear up and actually get the most out of the experience.

Given that they will be given sufficient training that they will not embarrass themselves and that there is plenty of time to prepare and the size of the organisations invited, THERE SHOULD BE NO REASON WHY ALL THE ABOVE CANNOT RAISE A TEAM. Those that don't are plain and simply cowards.

Now the time for loose talk is over. Members of the press who have been so critical of the game and its players will have to put their money where their mouth is. Or their bats where their pens are perhaps would be a better turn of phrase. Who will actually stand up and prove that they have the mettle to learn the game. I hope and expect that most of those who do take part in this will thouroughly enjoy it and if they do, I offer a further challenge:

Submit a joint Media Team to future NPCA competitions. There would be no better way that to further grow an understanding of the more complex parts of the game such as building an innings, scoring centuries, bowling as a partnership etc, all things which can only be guessed at in 10-overs a-side matches.

Failing that, given that all correspondents for Kenya Cricket.com play the game, next time I am in Kenya, we will challenge the winners or a joint team to a match.

Game on and all credit to whoever in Cricket Kenya came up with this idea!