A Better Result

Well at least we beat Nigeria, so we will not finish with the wooden spoon.
The question of selection does raise an issue - why for example was Rakep Patel not included? If it was to give some others a chance to prove they can step up, it seems to have proved that they need a lot more work.

Even if we win the remainder of the matches which given we need to play both Uganda and Namibia, is unlikely, there will still be too many questions raised from this event.

Now Zambia - Read it and weep

Zambia beat Kenya by 110 runs
Metros Cricket Ground, 28 April
Zambia 175 (49.2 overs, H Patel 56, A Nsensha 38, R Savala 4/34)
Kenya 65 (32.1 overs, S Bangliwala 4/8)

All out for 65?

Cricket Kenya needs to come up with some answers to this malaise fast. Appalling.

What is happening to Cricket in Kenya?

Hot on the back of Kenya only just scraping into the World Cup comes the news that Kenya U19s have just lost the first game of the Africa Zone WC qualifiers to Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone are a nation that have hardly put down their weapons from fighting a civil war long enough to learn how to play the game. Yet they restricted Kenya to an embarrassing 109 in 40 overs, then knocked off the runs in 30 overs to win by 4 wickets.

EDIT: As much of the scorecard as I can find:
Kenya vs Sierra Leone
Played @ Centrals Sports Club
Kenya won the toss, elected to bat.
Kenya 109/10 in 40 overs
Kaul 22 (53), Patel 22 (50) - EDIT - Kaul was originally put as "Kane" on the scorecard. Patel must be Keval Patel.
Kabia 5 for 23 of 10 overs
Sierra Leone 110/6 30
Ansumana 25 NO (42), J Mansary 29 (45)
Sierra Leone won by 4 wickets!


If you took this as a stand alone result it would be embarrassing, but such is the game, that one-off results do happen. Taken in context with the slipping performance of the senior team, the lack of a meaningful domestic competition to bring together the nations best players (no word on if the Elite League will be back this year) and the lack of news out of Cricket Kenya about the youth development program, it is more a reflection of where the game is headed.

Cricket Kenya have done well so far in their tenure in terms of getting the National team both matches and exposure. This will however be useless if the grass roots continue to be neglected. Apart from making Kenya the laughing stock of other cricketing nations, results such as yesterday's highlight the gains the chasing pack are making. If Sierra Leone can beat us so easily, I hate to think of what Namibia and Uganda will do, let alone the Test sides when we play them. Getting the national side to play in India to prepare for the WC is great, but it is high time urgent and significant attention if brought to bear on improving the standard of the developing players. If they cannot hold their own, the national team will not be far behind in also crashing down.

Over to you Cricket Kenya - we need to see some changes. Now.

Destination India?

A report in yesterday's Standard hints that Kenya may either be included in the Indian domestic season as a team in their own right or failing that have Kenyan players embedded in Indian sides to aid in preparation for the next World Cup.

This is a very positive step, especially if Cricket Kenya can swing the former option as the team will not only have the very useful experience of playing regular top grade cricket, but will continue to gel as a team.

Fingers crossed that this eventuates, though the question does come to mind - why is it India that is helping and not our continental neighbours south Africa...

U19 Squad named

Kenya's Squad to the Africa Zone U19 world cup qualifiers has been named with an interesting mix of players, though only one, Taaha Sulemanjee, come from outside of Nairobi.

Karan Kaul leads the side and will be a key player with both bat and ball, though it is the latter that is his stronger suit. Interestingly, it is 15 year old Kennedy Owino who will deputise, though this may not be all that surprising considering that he has captained at U15 level and is widely regarded as a future leader at this level as well. He is a very talented batsman and one that should relish the challenge of stepping up to the older age group.

Likewise Emmanuel "Fundi" Bundi, who purely on talent looks to be one of the brightest prospects on the horizon. Capable of scoring quickly, this is sometimes his downfall as, a bit like Alex Obanda, he can have a tendency to try and hit everything to the boundary. Hopefully with age, this will be tempered and he still has plenty of time. this could be a very valuable learning experience for him.

Harrison Ambani and Paul Anjere are two players that I saw last year in the nets during training and are players I feel will one day go on to great things. Ambani in particular has a fantastic action and if he grows (he was very slight in build), will develop into a very useful quick bowler. Good to see these two selected - I hope they get a chance and confirm my expectations.

I know little about the rest of the players, so any light anyone can shed will be appreciated. All the best to the team, hopefully with the pressure of qualifying not there (we qualify automatically as hosts), they will be able to both put on a top display and gain valuable experience. With Angara and Suji to oversee things, they at least have two of the best coaches in the country to look after them. Best wishes.

Full squad:

Joseph Angara Team Coach Swamibapa Club
Martin Suji Team Manager Kanbis Club
Karan Kaul (Captain) Bowler All rounder Simba Union
Kennedy Owino Ochieng (Vice Captain) Batsman Telca Cricket Club
Keval Anilkumar Patel Off Spinner Aga Khan Sports Club
Mahendra Mansukh Ashani Opening Bowler Telca Cricket Club
Vikram Saleel Thampy Opening Batsman Aga Khan Sports Club
Emmanuel Bundi Ringera Batsman All Rounder Telca Cricket Club
Harrison Ambani Angila Medium Pace Bowler Ngara Sports Club
Abdulqair Murtaza Tayabali Najmi Opening Batsman Qutbi Sports Club
Rahul Harish Vishram Wicket Keeper Batsman Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Cricket Club
Taaha Abizar Fakhruddin Sulemanjee Off Spinner Mombasa Sports Club
Raj Hemchand Savala Left Arm Spinner Oshwal Cricket Club
Paul Anjere Angila Batsman All rounder Telca Cricket Club
Lucas Oluoch Ndandason Opening Bowler Simba Union
Joseph Onyango Ochieng Medium Pace Bowler Ngara Sports Club