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.

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.

Cricket Kenya Appointments

Again, this is a direct reproduction of the Cricket Kenya Press release:

CRICKET KENYA ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURES.

In line with improving and professionalizing its service delivery to its constituents and the general public, Cricket Kenya has made a number of appointments on full time basis. The focus is on developing the game beyond the present structures while improving on the already developed structures.

For this purpose, Cricket Kenya has therefore contracted the following persons onto their staff: -

Administration

Administration Manager: - Ms. Barbara Kokonya
Executive Assistant: -Ms. Julie Mwamburi
Office Messenger: - Daniel Kyalo

Development

Development Manager: - David Odhiambo
Development Officer (Nairobi): - Joseph Angara
Development Officer (Rift Valley): - David Asiji
Development Officer (Coast): - Issak Khanna
Development Officer (Women’s and Special Projects): - Duncan Okinyo

Cricket Operations

National Team Manager: - Macdonald Oduor Suji
National Coach: - Andy Kirsten
Assistant National Coach: - Martin Suji
Match Analyst: - Thota Sreenivas
Groundsman: - Joseph Kagiri
Fitness in charge: - Joseph Asichi

Professional Consultancy Services

Management accountancy: - M/S Ghedia and CO.
Physiotherapy Services: - M/S Physical Therapy Services
Medical Services: - Avenue Healthcare Services
Insurance Services: - M/S Starlit Insurance Brokers

All these persons bring a lot of experience to the association and will definitely add value to the growth of Cricket Kenya from now into the future. All appointments were undertaken through competitive processes and we believe that the best persons at the point in time have been appointed.

All these appointments put Cricket Kenya in line to move forward and build stable structures for the game in the country.

We request for support for these appointees as they discharge their duties at all times.


Regards


(Not signed as sent out electronically)


Tom J. Tikolo
Chief Executive Officer

A New Start

Given that Cricket Kenya elections have now been completed and the team is off to South Africa this week for the World cup Qualifiers, I thought it time to bring this site back to life. Time is short, so posts will be brief and often reproduced from elsewhere, but I will do my utmost to keep abreast of things.

Here goes...

Cricket Kenya

PRESS RELEASE

CRICKET KENYA ELECTIONS

This is to confirm that Cricket Kenya held its elections on 15^th. March, 09 at our offices at Ruaraka Sports Club during the Annual General Meeting. The election meeting was presided over by Mr. James Akama, the Executive Officer, Kenya National Sports Council.

The following persons were elected at the meeting into the leadership of the association for the next four years as required by the Cricket Kenya Constitution.

· Chairman: - Mr. Samir Inamdar

· Vice Chairman: - Mr. Shamji Patel

· Treasurer: - Mr. Nasoor Verjee

· Women’s Representative: - Mr. Nilesh Lakhani

· Nairobi Province representatives: - Mr. Bipin Vora and Mr. John Moyi

· Coast Province Representatives: - Mr. Pankaj Desai and Mr. Subhash Devani

· Rift Valley Representatives: - Mr. Martin Bentley and Mr. Shailesh Sheth.

The Executive Committee as mentioned above is mandated to institute sub committees to assist in developing the game in the country. Some of the sub committees are Selection, Technical, Finance and Fundraising, Development, Governance and Ethics, Cricket Operations, Disciplinary, Umpires and Scorers, Public Relations and Website etc.

The Chairman on his election outline plans the association is embarking on such as 2011 CWC Qualification, 2010 Under 19 CWC, Development Program and reorganization of CK Administrative Structures. To sum it up, he noted that this is an era of transparency and development and urged for support from all Kenyans of goodwill.

The KNSC Executive Officer commended Cricket Kenya for the efforts made in regaining lost glory in the world of cricket and asked the association to highlight to the media all the positive developments that were taking place in the world of cricket for the general citizenry’s information. He urged those charged with development to expand the cricketing boundaries to the rest of the country when funds allow as there definitely is talent across Kenya.

Regards

(Not signed as sent electronically)

Tom J. Tikolo

Chief Executive Officer

How to rape a sport: By the ICC Chief Executive's Comittee

Sometimes bad decisions are made in sport for puportedly good reasons. Sometimes bad decisions are made purely through greed and an ability to trample roughshod over those with less power. The ICC Chief Executives' Committee decision to recommend a reduction in the number of World Cup teams to 14 is one of the latter decisions. It is a decision that has no regard for the future well being of the sport, purely for the short term interest of the powerful few who currently hold the reins.

For those unacquainted with the reasons behind the decision, in the last World Cup Ireland provided some of the few moments of interest when they played out of their skins along the way to eliminating Pakistan from the tournament in the initial stage. Because the bungling fools at the ICC had scheduled too long a World Cup and because they needed a scapegoat, they were happy to fuel the notion put forward by Pakistan that there were too many teams in the World Cup and hence it diluted the standard and made it a boring affair.

In actual fact, what diluted the standard of the World Cup was teams such as Pakistan playing well below par and the ICC looking purely at the $$$ behind playing only one match a day and then having an overly long second stage to the tournament. Because of this, the Associates, who have by the way done everything asked of them by the ICC and more (despite ludicrously low income from the ICC and little real support), are penalised. All because certain Test teams were not good enough to beat some of the ever improving Associates.

This from the very organisation that claims to be pushing so hard to expand the game globally. What a bunch of horseshit. Today we saw a very clear indication of what the nations at the top of the pile have in view for World Cricket and it is very much a case of the rich get richer and sod the poor. No wonder cricket cannot get a true foothold outside the established nations and if this sort of attitude persists it will not be a surprise if it starts to lose ground even within that inner sanctum.

So often we hear the ICC go on about players being fined for bringing the game into disrepute. How hypocritical. Off all the things that have tainted the game, most come either directly from the ICC, such as this decision, or get exacerbated by their handling of it. If I were a player and was fined, I reckon I would counter sue in the International Court of Sports Arbitration. A just jury would not have to think too hard about who has done the game more damage.

There are over 100 countries that play cricket. Only 10 of them play Test cricket and of those 10, at least 2 are only just better than the Associates, if they are that. Numbers of players in most of the leading Associates are growing in leaps and bounds and their standard of play is improving all the time. Given the right opportunities against the Test sides, they would likely be more than competitive come the World Cup. Instead they are kept on the outside, playing only against each other and are then penalised when they break into the inner circle and upset the odds to beat one of the Test teams when the World Cup does come around.

Today makes me ashamed to be a follower of cricket and angry to be a supporter of a minority that deserve better support rather than the betrayal served up by the I$C$C - may the fleas of a million camels infest their armpits and infect them with every nasty disease there is!