April Fool's day? well for some, perhaps. No - today sees the start of the Cricket World Cup Qualifiers in South Africa and in both groups the top 2 seeds meet each other in the first matches. Cricket Europe are providing great live coverage and previews, so I will concentrate on the Kenyan perspective.
While the title of this article may sound dramatic, in terms of cricket it is very much accurate. Should Kenya beat The Netherlands today, they will have made a huge step towards the Super 8 stage and as both teams should go through, the winner will carry over the points earned from this match, something that could be vital in terms of securing that final 4 position and hence a place in the 2011 World Cup. Failure today certainly does not mean the end of the road for either side, but it will dampen morale and make the rest of the job that much harder.
Both sides come into the game on highs after winning their last two warm up games, the most recent against other sides competing in this tournament, and both sides have spent plenty of time in South Africa to acclimatise. Kenya have 2 injury worries with Kennedy Obuya nursing a thumb injury picked up in the win over Scotland, while Alex Obanda has a back injury, so has missed the warm up games, but is expected to be fit to play.
If Obuya cannot pass a late fitness test, the opening pair will almost certainly be Maurice Ouma and Seren Waters. Should he be fit, then either of those players will probably drop down the order. Obanda should bat 3 and Tikolo (who will also bowl his off spin)will be at 4. Thomas Odoyo has been patchy with the bat, but will probably retain 6th spot after whichever of Ouma and Waters has to make way for Obuya. Odoyo will also be Kenya's key player with the ball. Having been used sparingly in the warm up games, he will be expected to step up and bowl a full 10 overs for this game.
7 & 8 will be filled by Collins Obuya and Jimmy Kamande, the latter who will also bowl his off spin for a few overs at least.
Of the bowlers, only Peter Ongondo (who will open the bowling with Odoyo) and Hiren Varaiya (the left arm spinner who has been the form bowler during the warm ups)are the only 2 certain to start. Nehemiah Odhiambo may have done enough with the bat in the last game to earn him a place, but it is hard to see him chosen ahead of his brother Lameck Onyango or youngster Elijah Otieno in terms of bowling which is what should count if only 3 seamers are chosen.
In the warm up games, Kenya have gone in with 4 seamers, but with the Waters/Obuya/Ouma dilemma - all have scored runs and can potentially win matches, it may be the selectors opt for 3 seamers and 3 spinners to do the bowling. If Obuya's thumb rules him out, then expect both Onyango and Odhiambo to play. If not, Onyango will probably be picked as the most dangerous bowler of the 3 possible.
There is no doubt that with talent like Ryan ten Doeschate and Alex Kervezee, the Netherlands are a very able team and Kenya will have their best possible side on the park. Hopefully we will play to potential and be strong enough to open the tournament with a win. GO KENYA!
Showing posts with label world cup qualifiers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label world cup qualifiers. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Kenya improve with win in second warm up game
A much better batting performance coupled with some more disciplined bowling has given Kenya a morale boosting win over the Tuks Academy in a warm up match played the LC De Villiers Oval in Pretoria.
Batting first, Kenya posted an imposing total of 253 for 6 in their 50 overs on the back of a century partnership between Thomas Odoyo (70) and Collins Obuya (47 n.o.). Kennedy Obuya (45) and Seren Waters (33), earlier added a partnership of 77 and despite a minor wobble when they lost both Tikolo (22) and waters with the score on 125, this was a much improved effort from the Kenyans who will take heart in the fact that several players seem to be finding form just when it will be needed.
Once again, Hiren Varaiya was the pick of Kenya's bowling picking up 3/34 off his 10 overs, but Jimmy Kamande and Lameck Onyango will both be pleased to have picked up a brace each, though Onyango did go at 6 an over. Both Peter Ongondo and Odoyo took a wicket each and were given relatively easy 6 over duties. It was the combination of Variaya and Kamande who broke Tuks with a 10 over spell that conceded 51 runs, but accounted for 5 wickets. They never recovered and Onyango and Odoyo polished off the remaining wickets to give Kenya an 64 run win.
After Nehemiah Odhiambo and Rajesh Bhudia were so expensive in the last game, it will be interesting to see if the selectors remain with the change pair of Onyango and Elijah Otieno, who though remained wicket-less, has so far proved to be the only one of the four to maintain an acceptable economy rate (23 off 5 overs - 4.6).
With the much sterner test of Scotland looming on Sunday, one would assume the selectors will go with their perceived best team. Just going on the last 2 games, it is hard to see it being any different from this one, though Alex Obanda may still be due a dig in which case one would assume Waters would resume opening duties in place of Ouma.
Batting first, Kenya posted an imposing total of 253 for 6 in their 50 overs on the back of a century partnership between Thomas Odoyo (70) and Collins Obuya (47 n.o.). Kennedy Obuya (45) and Seren Waters (33), earlier added a partnership of 77 and despite a minor wobble when they lost both Tikolo (22) and waters with the score on 125, this was a much improved effort from the Kenyans who will take heart in the fact that several players seem to be finding form just when it will be needed.
Once again, Hiren Varaiya was the pick of Kenya's bowling picking up 3/34 off his 10 overs, but Jimmy Kamande and Lameck Onyango will both be pleased to have picked up a brace each, though Onyango did go at 6 an over. Both Peter Ongondo and Odoyo took a wicket each and were given relatively easy 6 over duties. It was the combination of Variaya and Kamande who broke Tuks with a 10 over spell that conceded 51 runs, but accounted for 5 wickets. They never recovered and Onyango and Odoyo polished off the remaining wickets to give Kenya an 64 run win.
After Nehemiah Odhiambo and Rajesh Bhudia were so expensive in the last game, it will be interesting to see if the selectors remain with the change pair of Onyango and Elijah Otieno, who though remained wicket-less, has so far proved to be the only one of the four to maintain an acceptable economy rate (23 off 5 overs - 4.6).
With the much sterner test of Scotland looming on Sunday, one would assume the selectors will go with their perceived best team. Just going on the last 2 games, it is hard to see it being any different from this one, though Alex Obanda may still be due a dig in which case one would assume Waters would resume opening duties in place of Ouma.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Kenya lose first warm up game
Kenya went down by 48 runs in their first warm up match against a Titans second string side in Pretoria yesterday.
Batting first, Titans lost opener R Jappie to Thomas Odoyo for just 10 on the board, but then continued to build solid partnerships with M Sekota (57), P Matan (54 off 49) and especially D Weisie (90* off 56) all taking a liking to the Kenyan bowlers.
Pick of the Kenyan bowlers was the pair of Thomas Odoyo (2/40 off 9) and Hiren Varaiya (2/49 off 9).
Jimmy Kamande (1/42 off 9)was probably next best and was the only other Kenyan bowler to take wickets with run outs accounting for Titans other 2 dismissals in their total of 292/7.
Neither Steve Tikolo (0/22 off 5) nor Peter Ongondo (0/28 off 5) took wickets, but at least they were tidy. the same cannot be said for Rajesh Bhudia (0/35 off 4) and Nehemiah Odhiambo (0/75 off 9) who both came in for some heavy treatment from their hosts. Kenyan fans will be hoping they find their radar before the World Cup qualifiers start on April 1st.
Kenya's reply contained several promising starts, but no one other than Jimmy Kamande was able to convert that into a bigger score. Morris Ouma, returned to opener, fell on 47, fellow opener Kennedy Obuya made 26 off 28, Seren Waters tried at 3 made 16, Steve Tikolo contributed 20 and Collins Obuya 38. Only Kamande, who was last man out off the final ball looked like he was capable of chasing down the score and perhaps he could have made it had he come in above Obuya. As it was he can be proud of what was clearly the stand out effort in the Kenyan side with 62 off 49 deliveries. Kenya closed their innings on 244/9.
In context, this was just a warm up game, but it certainly does nothing to dispel any of the worries fans might have had going into the WC Qualifiers where the competition should be stiffer. Hopefully this is just a case of the boys blowing the dust off before they settle down to serious business.
Batting first, Titans lost opener R Jappie to Thomas Odoyo for just 10 on the board, but then continued to build solid partnerships with M Sekota (57), P Matan (54 off 49) and especially D Weisie (90* off 56) all taking a liking to the Kenyan bowlers.
Pick of the Kenyan bowlers was the pair of Thomas Odoyo (2/40 off 9) and Hiren Varaiya (2/49 off 9).
Jimmy Kamande (1/42 off 9)was probably next best and was the only other Kenyan bowler to take wickets with run outs accounting for Titans other 2 dismissals in their total of 292/7.
Neither Steve Tikolo (0/22 off 5) nor Peter Ongondo (0/28 off 5) took wickets, but at least they were tidy. the same cannot be said for Rajesh Bhudia (0/35 off 4) and Nehemiah Odhiambo (0/75 off 9) who both came in for some heavy treatment from their hosts. Kenyan fans will be hoping they find their radar before the World Cup qualifiers start on April 1st.
Kenya's reply contained several promising starts, but no one other than Jimmy Kamande was able to convert that into a bigger score. Morris Ouma, returned to opener, fell on 47, fellow opener Kennedy Obuya made 26 off 28, Seren Waters tried at 3 made 16, Steve Tikolo contributed 20 and Collins Obuya 38. Only Kamande, who was last man out off the final ball looked like he was capable of chasing down the score and perhaps he could have made it had he come in above Obuya. As it was he can be proud of what was clearly the stand out effort in the Kenyan side with 62 off 49 deliveries. Kenya closed their innings on 244/9.
In context, this was just a warm up game, but it certainly does nothing to dispel any of the worries fans might have had going into the WC Qualifiers where the competition should be stiffer. Hopefully this is just a case of the boys blowing the dust off before they settle down to serious business.
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