Well I’m flabbergasted! MS is full of so many “cricket fanatics”, yet no one bothered to pen down a review on one of the semi-finalists of World Cup 2003. Anyways, here’s my review about one of most under-rated teams on the cricket globe.
To describe this team in one line – Bundle of talent & enthusiasm wasted thanks to the lack of opportunities!
Achievements
(a) Kenya shocked the whole world by beating the giants West Indies in their very first World Cup (1996) at Pune. The West Indians line up also included the great Brian Lara!
(b) Beating India in India is considered a very tough task even for a team like Australia but Kenyans managed to accomplish this tough task in the summer of 1998 at Gwalior in the Coca Cola cup (a triangular tournament involving India, Kenya and Bangladesh).
© Well Indians may say that Kenya’s one win was a fluke, but they proved it that it was their talent and not a stroke of luck by beating India yet again in 2001 in South Africa!
(d) Their biggest achievement till date has been reaching the Semi Finals of the World Cup 2003 along with other giants India, Australia and Sri Lanka! Many may say that it happened as the Kiwis (New Zealand) didn’t go to play their game against Kenya (due to security reasons) in Nairobi, and thus, they got free points. But I would like to disagree on that! Kenya also had to beat test-playing nations like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe to reach were they did eventually!
(e) Till 1998 Kenya had the record of the highest opening partnership in one-day international cricket. Deepak Chudasma and Kenedy Otieno put on 225 for the first wicket against Bangladesh! Later on this record was broken by Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly as they put on 252 runs for the opening stand against Sri Lanka in Colombo in the Aiwa Cup Final 1998.
What amazes me
How could a team like Bangladesh get test status before Kenya? The officials say that Bangladesh has a better infrastructure and more interest for the game. But I guess talent should also be a criterion on which Kenya is way ahead of Bangladesh!
Why Kenya hasn’t progressed
Just one and only one reason - lack of competitive cricket! Most of the Kenyan players are doing jobs as teachers, doctors or in some other profession and they play cricket every Sunday just for fun! Their star leg spinner Collins Obuya is a tomato vendor! Kenyan Captain Steve Tikolo has said many a times that if the level of Kenyan cricket has to be raised then Kenya needs more international matches and the cricketers should be paid well so that they can concentrate fully on cricket and quit other jobs! I feel if Kenya plays even half as many matches as Bangladesh is playing they can give a run for their money to any cricketing team today!
Some Star Players
Steve Tikolo without any doubt is a class act. I feel sorry for this batsman because with the kind of talent he possesses he should be playing test cricket right now!
Maurice Odumbe is yet another very exciting batsman to watch. He can play strokes all round the wicket, but his career seems to have come to an end after he has been doubted for match fixing recently!
Thomas Odoyo is a young all-rounder and is the future of Kenyan Cricket. He has the ability to deliver the goods with his hard-hitting batting in the middle order and seam bowling with the new ball. You can call him Andrew Flintoff of Kenya!
Collins Obuya is an upcoming leg spinner and shone in the World Cup 2003! He bowled incredibly well and the credit must go to his lethal deliveries for Sri Lanka’s defeat against Kenya in that tournament. However, he must work on his fielding a bit!
Strengths of this team
Exciting batting and good fielding! They see South Africans as their idols and try to follow the fielding trends set by legends like Jonty Rhodes! And as far as batting is concerned with Sandip Patil as their coach for quite a few years they know very well how to bat imaginatively!
Must work on
Their bowling I feel is their weak link! They don’t have good enough bowlers to defend decent totals posted by their batsman. Their problems have increased after the retirement of the experienced left arm spinner Asif Karim! Also they must work on getting more youngsters in the side!
What Makes Them Different
Kenya is the most stylish cricket team today! The best thing I like about them is that they are carefree! They follow a strategy of – try your best with a smile on your face! Thus, no matter what the situation of the game is you will always see a pleasant looking Kenyan Team. And once they pick up a wicket they surely know how to enjoy themselves by a few dance steps! Even when Kenyan batsman gets out he doesn’t frowns or grimaces, rather he wishes good luck to his partner with a high five and a smile! Have you seen any other team with such attributes?
Copyright, Tanmay Singh 2004