A Better Result

Well at least we beat Nigeria, so we will not finish with the wooden spoon.
The question of selection does raise an issue - why for example was Rakep Patel not included? If it was to give some others a chance to prove they can step up, it seems to have proved that they need a lot more work.

Even if we win the remainder of the matches which given we need to play both Uganda and Namibia, is unlikely, there will still be too many questions raised from this event.

Now Zambia - Read it and weep

Zambia beat Kenya by 110 runs
Metros Cricket Ground, 28 April
Zambia 175 (49.2 overs, H Patel 56, A Nsensha 38, R Savala 4/34)
Kenya 65 (32.1 overs, S Bangliwala 4/8)

All out for 65?

Cricket Kenya needs to come up with some answers to this malaise fast. Appalling.

What is happening to Cricket in Kenya?

Hot on the back of Kenya only just scraping into the World Cup comes the news that Kenya U19s have just lost the first game of the Africa Zone WC qualifiers to Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone are a nation that have hardly put down their weapons from fighting a civil war long enough to learn how to play the game. Yet they restricted Kenya to an embarrassing 109 in 40 overs, then knocked off the runs in 30 overs to win by 4 wickets.

EDIT: As much of the scorecard as I can find:
Kenya vs Sierra Leone
Played @ Centrals Sports Club
Kenya won the toss, elected to bat.
Kenya 109/10 in 40 overs
Kaul 22 (53), Patel 22 (50) - EDIT - Kaul was originally put as "Kane" on the scorecard. Patel must be Keval Patel.
Kabia 5 for 23 of 10 overs
Sierra Leone 110/6 30
Ansumana 25 NO (42), J Mansary 29 (45)
Sierra Leone won by 4 wickets!


If you took this as a stand alone result it would be embarrassing, but such is the game, that one-off results do happen. Taken in context with the slipping performance of the senior team, the lack of a meaningful domestic competition to bring together the nations best players (no word on if the Elite League will be back this year) and the lack of news out of Cricket Kenya about the youth development program, it is more a reflection of where the game is headed.

Cricket Kenya have done well so far in their tenure in terms of getting the National team both matches and exposure. This will however be useless if the grass roots continue to be neglected. Apart from making Kenya the laughing stock of other cricketing nations, results such as yesterday's highlight the gains the chasing pack are making. If Sierra Leone can beat us so easily, I hate to think of what Namibia and Uganda will do, let alone the Test sides when we play them. Getting the national side to play in India to prepare for the WC is great, but it is high time urgent and significant attention if brought to bear on improving the standard of the developing players. If they cannot hold their own, the national team will not be far behind in also crashing down.

Over to you Cricket Kenya - we need to see some changes. Now.

Destination India?

A report in yesterday's Standard hints that Kenya may either be included in the Indian domestic season as a team in their own right or failing that have Kenyan players embedded in Indian sides to aid in preparation for the next World Cup.

This is a very positive step, especially if Cricket Kenya can swing the former option as the team will not only have the very useful experience of playing regular top grade cricket, but will continue to gel as a team.

Fingers crossed that this eventuates, though the question does come to mind - why is it India that is helping and not our continental neighbours south Africa...