31 teams prepare for NPCA League this weekend

As the national team return home to lick their wounds, there will be plenty of opportunity for them to prove why they are in the team and for pretenders to challenge for spots as the NPCA League gets underway this weekend.

There are 31 teams split across 4 division and while the nation's best players will doing battle in the Super Division, competition will be equally fierce all the way down to division III.

SUPER LEAGUE ENTRIES 2009.
Kanbis 'A'
Stray Lions 'A'
Swamibapa 'A'
Telca XI
Sir Ali 'A'
Simba Union 'A'
Kanbis 'B'
SCLYL 'A'

DIV I ENTRIES 2009
Nbi. Nookers 'A'
Swamibapa 'B'
Ruaraka 'A'
Premier
Ngara
Kongonis Dev
Nbi.Jafferys
Nbi.Gymkhana

DIV II ENTRIES 2009
Golden XI
Aga Khan
Qutbis
Goan Institue 'A'
Simba Union 'B'
SCLYL 'B'
Stray Lions 'B'
Sir Ali 'B'

Div III ENTRIES 2009
Parklands
Nbi.Nookers 'B'
Oshwal XI
Ruaraka 'B'
Aaryans
Goan Institute 'B'
Women's XI

Cricket Kenya to register all under 19 players this weekend

The following is the Cricket Kenya press release. No other reason was given for this move - at first glance it looks like something that should have been done a couple of months ago BEFORE the regional qualifiers. Closing the door after the horse has bolted, or do they know something the rest of us don't? Lets hope it is the latter...

PRESS RELEASE - UNDER 19 REGISTRATION

Cricket Kenya wishes to inform members of the press that we will be conducting a registration exercise for Under 19 players. This exercise is part of the ongoing U/19 Development Programme which is geared primarily at strengthening the National U/19 Squad.

Registration will be held at Aga Khan Sports Club this Saturday 11^th July 2009 and will run from 9am to 12pm.

Important to note is the cut off date (of birth) which is 1^st September 1989.

Help Choose Kenya Cricket.com's International Player of the Year 2009

In 2009 we will again be presenting a player with our International Player Of The Year award. With renewed contact with both players and fellow journalists, this is how the award will be decided in 2009:

After each International match individuals from 3 panels will each allocate points based on who they thought performed best in the match: 3 for the best performance, 2 for the next best and 1 for the third best.

The 3 panels will be:
1) Fans - taken from a poll on the website
2) Journalists - Nick Deverell, Ben Trotter, Rachel Musyoka, Dun Okinyo, Kimemia Maina.
3) Players - Kenya Captain Maurice Ouma, Kenya Vice-Captain Jimmy Kamande, Kenya Under 19 Captain Karan Kaul, Ex-International Joseph Angara and Kanbis Sports Secretary Kanti Rabadia.

Totals will then be taken from each panel to give a new tally for the collective votes from that panel so each panel will produce 3 players with 3,2,1 points. Points from the separate panels will then be added together and a final allocation of points on the 3,2,1 basis will be allocated for the match. i.e every match will only produce 3 players with points by the end of the process. The player with the most points at the end of the year wins the award and the prestige that I hope will go with it.

Past winners are:
2006 - Steve Tikolo
2007 - Thomas Odoyo (pictured above with his award. copyright Kenya Cricket.com)
2008 - not awarded

The more fans that vote, the fairer the outcome from the fan's poll will be. For a player to be eligible for votes they must take 3 or more wkts in an innings or 4 or more for an IC match, or score a half century or better. In the event none of these happen, the best 5 performers will be selected - 5 will always be the minumum number of options. Voting is now open for the Intercontinental Cup match vs Ireland, so get voting and help us choose the 2009 Player of the Year!

GAME COULD BE KENYA'S - IF THEY TAKE THEIR CHANCES

My apologies for the lateness of this post. Topspinner writes from Eglinton with the report from day 3 of Kenya's Intercontinental Cup match vs Ireland:

THE game was on a knife-edge as play began today on the final day of the Intercontinental Cup match between Ireland and Kenya at Eglinton, Northern Ireland.

Ireland yesterday (Sun) seized six points through a first innings lead of 73 after Kenya's last four wickets added 92 to their Saturday overnight score of 239 for 6, thereby avoiding the follow-on.
Vice-captain Jimmy Kamande batted sensibly to make 73 and some lusty blows allowed Peter Ongondo to register a valuable 24 not out. Former vice-captain Thomas Odoyo made 46 well-worked runs before a blow to the elbow pulled him up short, while Nehemiah Odhiambo made 14 and Elijah Otieno was out for two.

Kenya appeared pleased to have restricted Ireland to a 73-run lead in this high-scoring match and this showed, particularly in the six overs they bowled up to lunch. Odoyo and Ondongo both showed venom, but it was former captain Steve Tikolo who snapped up first innings century-maker Paul Stirling for six just before the break, to have Ireland in some jitters on 6 for 1 off six overs at lunch. These jitters continued afterwards and from 25 overs Ireland appeared to be in some trouble at 45 for 3.

But then a series of catches went down - two difficult, two less so - and had it not been for a sharp take behind by captain and wicketkeeper Morris Ouma off Odhiambo on 89 to get rid of the dangerous kevin O'Brien for 21 the match would certainly have been running away from Kenya. As it was, a further 50 without loss were added to the Ireland total, with a half-century from Alex Cusack, before stumps, leaving Ireland 212 ahead.

Ireland go into today's final day feelimng they can win; but this newly-led and invigorated Kenya side is full of spirit and they know that, if they can bag a couple of early wickets, the game could be theirs.
'Topspinner'.

Photo - Maurice Ouma seems to be making a good start as Kenyan Captain. courtesy of Cricket Europe

Tikolo leads Kenyan fightback after Irish Onslaught

Steve Tikolo (right) the ex-Skipper and veteran of Kenya's team yesterday proved once again his value to the team as he helped Kenya recover from what seemed like a disasterous start to his successor's first game in charge. Losing the toss, Kenya were asked to bowl and though Peter Ongondo was his usual miserly self, Kenya's seamers simply were unable to induce the Irish openers Paul Stirling and Jeremy Bray to play enough to look dangerous. Content to wait for the bad balls, the pair put on a mammoth 182 before Bray (89) finally edged a Nehemiah Odhiambo delivery to Tikolo to give Kenya a glimmer of hope. Earlier, both the 18 year old Stirling and Bray had both brought up fine 50s as they set about building what looked to be the platform for a huge first innings total.

With tea taken for 197-1, it was definitely the Irish in the ascendency and the hosts continued to pile on the pressure with Stirling bringing up his maiden First Class century with a six of Ongondo. It was the Kenyan seamer who had the final say of the contest however as four balls later he induced the nick from Stirling for Ouma to pouch his first catch as skipper. Alex Cusack and Andre Botha added a further 46 runs before Tikolo started a run that could just have brought Kenya back into the contest.

Botha was the first to fall finding Seren Waters at midwicket and Kevin O'Brien followed first ball giving Tikolo a return catch. Andrew White was the next to depart in the most unusual of circumstances as the ball rebounded of the short leg fielder for Ouma to complete the catch. Tikolo then bowled Gary Wilson with the score on 313 and then to complete his 5-for had the dangerman Cusack popping one up for Collins Obuya to catch at short leg in the final over of play. Ireland closed the day on 323-7 with the game still up for grabs. Given the score at tea, Kenya will be very happy with how their final two sessions went and will be looking to mop up the Irish tail quickly today so they can take their turn at the crease. After their comeback yesterday, it is vital that they do this to return the pressure to Ireland.

Tikolo's figures of 5-67 are particularly impressive and give him yet another career best. There must be concern though that the 20 overs he bowled may take a toll on the 38 year old's batting.
Kenya have selceted a deep batting line up and they will need to apply themselves in the same manner as the Irish openers if they are going to reap any rewards from the first innings. Having had little competetive practice, the top order especially will need to be at their most vigilant to keep out the Irish attack. If they can do so and if the bowlers complete their job this morning, then there could yet be light at the end of the tunnel for Kenya.

picture taken WCL 2007 copyright Kenya cricket.com