Who Should Open for Kenya?

With Ravindu Shah injured and seemingly unlikely to make a return to international cricket, and the omission of Kennedy Obuya from the squad, Kenya's top order is looking vulnerable. I have added two polls to the side bar, and would be interested in your opinions.

First is a simple one: Should Kennedy Obuya and the selectors bury their differences so that he can play for Kenya against Bangladesh?

The second question assumes the Obuya is still in the mix for a place in the team. I would like to know who you think should open the batting for Kenya. All the options apart from Modi, Mishra and Kayne have been tried in this position for either Kenya or Kenya A this year with mixed results (at best). Of the latter three, Kayne opened for CCA while Mishra and Modi are players who I feel may have the technique/experience to fill this position even if it is not where they would usually bat.

Both polls will run until the first ODI against Bangladesh. I look forward to seeing your views, and don't forget, for those who want to have their two bob's worth, there is always the forum.

Clegg Scores Maiden Century

Overseas Roundup (late again!)

Fairburn skipper, and future Kenya hopeful James Clegg scored an unbeaten century last weekend as his team brushed aside Newton Hill to retain top spot in the Leeds West Riding League. Clegg, who retired his innings on 105 to give some of the other batsmen a go, shared a second wicket record for the club of 265. With Kenya 'A' batsmen putting up a dismal performance in Denmark, Clegg certainly chose a good time to illustrate what it takes to make big scores. His innings included six sixes and ten fours and comes just before he is due to visit family in Kenya. James is hoping to be able to meet Kenyan selectors while in Nairobi, and will also be looking at doing some youth coaching in his family's town of Eldoret.

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Elsewhere, Hitesh Modi's side Chesham were also busy making a lot of runs. He declared their innings closed on 1/269, but I can't find any more details, so not sure if he even had a chance to bat himself. Hitesh is listed in the squad for the Bangladesh tour, but not sure when he will actually link up with the rest of the squad.

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Steve Tikolo has joined Haverigg CC and should be in action for them this weekend. He knows the players and conditions at the Poolside ground, so should slot back in well. He will however be missed in Kenya where the national team are training ahead of the Bangladesh tour.

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I'm Not sure about Amit Bhudia's whereabouts. He is listed as being in the training squad in Nairobi, but if not will no doubt be back in action for club side Herning in their two matches in the Danish Division 1 this weekend.

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There are Two Kenyans I know of in Australia, Mohammed Sheikh (in Adelaide) and Dilip "fish" Hirani (in Sydney). Neither will be in action at the moment as it is the off season, but if anyone knows any contact details for Hirani, who went on the Under 19 tour to South Africa, I would very much like to get in touch.

Inamdar's Appointment To ICC Board A Gain For Kenya

Samir Inamdar's election to the Full ICC Board as one of three Associate members is a huge boost for Kenyan cricket. It is a well deserved reward for the Chairman of Cricket Kenya after a year's hard work trying to right the ship back home. Inamdar, who said he is delighted with the appointment must however not forget where his primary duties lie.

While much has been achieved in the year or so he has been at the helm in Kenya, there is still a huge amount to do. There is still no national league or junior development program, and there seems to be some doubt as to how effectively the national team are being trained. The upcoming matches against Bangladesh will give us an indication on the latter, but the other two are very pressing issues and must be addressed ASAP.

With Inamdar on the board, Kenya can at least expect the Associates to have a strong voice in support of the expansion program. Despite the obvious gains being made by the top 6 Associates, there are still those out there who maintain their opposition to spreading the game. For people who play or watch cricket, and should understand that building an innings takes time, there are some very impatient souls out there. Inamdar must stand firm against these and continue to do his best to grow the game both at home, and now globally. This job brings with it added clout for Kenya, but also extra responsibility for Inamdar. All the best to Cricket Kenya's hard working chairman in proving he is up to the task.

Ticket Prices Released For Bangladesh Tour as Cricket Kenya Look For Sponsors

Ticket prices for the three One Dayers against Bangladesh have been announced, and are a most economical for those who want to watch all three matches.

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Prices are as follows:

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Season tickets adults ksh 1,200 and Children/students ksh 600
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Daily tickets adults ksh 500 and children/students ksh 200

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This will be a great chance to see some fantastic cricket being played, and I would encourage anyone on Nairobi to get down to Nairobi Gymkhana ground and support the team. I certainly wish I could be there. Hopefully plenty of school children will get to watch the matches. If neccesary, Cricket Kenya should look at allowing a limited number of school age children in at a further reduced price to encourage interest in the sport.

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Cricket Kenya are also looking for corporate sponsors for the Series Brochure.

Rates are:

Full page A5 size : ksh 20,000
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Half page : ksh 12,000
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Inside cover : ksh 30,000
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This would be a fantastic opportunity for forward thinking businesses to get on the World Cup bandwagon early. There will be plenty of interest from Bangladesh, so any companies with interests that way should also grab the chance.

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Finally, there is the chance for corporate sponsors of the 20 Tents and stands. These are available at Nairobi Gymkhana grounds, where the matches will be held at ksh75,000 per stand for 40 people. Again a great opportunity for local businesses to get exposure to new markets.

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Hopefully these opportunities will be taken by the local corporate community. It will be a good gauge of the future waters to see how much corporate sponsorship can be raised for this series. With lots more home games to come over the next year, a good relationship with sponsors could be very beneficial for Cricket Kenya, and hence the development of the game.

Tikolo Rejoins Haverigg

I mentioned this in the post about the squad selection, but there is a full story here for those interested. Ironically, he replaces Justin Ontong who has been called away for national duty with South Africa. Hopefully, Steve will still be available to play for Kenya in the three ODIs against Bangladesh. If not, things could get messy. This is not a good sign for Cricket Kenya. It is great that a Kenyan player is wanted as a professional by a club, but shows very poor planning. While the stint away in Haverigg may do Tikolo no harm, it will certainly not help the rest of the team prepare for the upcoming series. I hope this does not all end in tears for Kenya, it has been a difficult enough time as it is.