Sunday, February 21, 2010

Inconsistency and the rumoured retirement of our greatest ever player

If Kenya's recent run of form can show us anything, it has been both the best and worst of what the team is capable of. Like an Associate version of Pakistan, one day the team shows itself capable of blasting any opposition off the park, the next it appears to fall apart as it loses to a team it should on paper defeat easily or who they brushed aside a mere couple of days before. This inconsistency is frustrating for fans and must be doubly so for the team and coach who should be able to see the potential if the players were to fire on a regular basis.

There have been some fantastic individual efforts from a range of players - Rakep Patel, Alex Obanda, Steve Tikolo and David Obuya have all produced some fine innings with the bat. Nehemiah Odhiambo, Elijah Otieno and Hiren Varaiya likewise with the ball and the newest members of the squad, Shem Obado and Nelson Odhiambo are also showing that they may have what it takes to be key players for Kenya in the long term.

There is no doubt the potential is there, coach Eldine Baptiste just needs to find a way to get it to be realised on a regular basis.

On a separate note, let us all hope that the reported spat between Steve Tikolo and either the rest of the team or Cricket Kenya is overblown rumour. He has served Kenya too well and too long to leave the team this way. whatever happened in UAE, it is up to both sides to come to a better arrangement that this. Tikolo deserves a proper send off if he really is to retire and Cricket Kenya need his services for another year yet.

Finally, the due date for the applicatrions for CEO of Cricket Kenya has now come and passed. Hopefully there are some quality applications in there and Cricket Kenya will choose someone who will rekindle the glory that was once Kenyan cricket. Good luck to all the applicants.

No comments: