The Hindu : Upbeat Kenyans take on Caribbeans

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 04, 2003

Sport

Sport - World Cup

Upbeat Kenyans take on Caribbeans

By G. Viswanath

Kimberley March 3. The Kenyans are upbeat and celebrating their qualification for the Super 6. They defeated a former World Cup champion and upset others' calculations in their group.

The result of its last league match against the West Indies would make little difference as far as its position in the tournament is concerned. Until a week ago, the East African nation was way down the estimation of the pundits and an exit from the first round of outings was on the cards. South Africa overpowered it at Potchefstroom and the team looked anything, but an outfit possessed with skills and will to win. But this has been a World Cup where individuals have provided spark and lifted their teams from gloom. Kenya did not boast of a brute force to flatten rivals but they did it in a most subtle way against the Sri Lankans.

The big victory for the home team at Nairobi Gymkhana left the visitors stunned and Sanath Jayasriya called his colleagues a bunch of amateurs.

Of course the Kenyans benefited from points forfeited by New Zealand. Last week, it blamed the Kiwis for denying it an opportunity to improve its net run rate. The ICC's Event Technical Committee was prompt in citing the competition's rules, but it appeared the Kenyans made a point just to embarrass New Zealand.

Outplayed four years ago in England, the Kenyans needed to prove it to themselves and to the rest of the world that they are good enough to compete at this level. Their preparation was hit by rain and this was reflected in their display against South Africa which beat them by 10 wickets.

Thomas Odoyo set the ball rolling for the Kenyans in the next match against Canada at Newlands. This was the only instance where a team that chased a total won a match in the preliminary stage of the competition and Kenya can take some heart in being the only team to do so and recover and rally from the crushing blow it suffered against the Proteas. The morale-boosting victory came against the Sri Lankans. There was no question of looking back from thereon and a 32-run win over Bangladesh at `The Wanderers' clinched it a place in the Super 6. The African side might end up a loser at the De Beers Diamond Oval, but Tikolo has said his team will get opportunities to dance again. "We are very happy we have made it to the Super Six stage. We have continually been asking for more games and this is our chance for that. You'll see more dancing like that in the Super Six stage,'' said Tikolo, who himself has not had a great run with the bat, his highest being 42 against Canada.

The West Indies looks a beaten side. Carl Hooper has been responsible in a way for the predicament his team is in. His dodgy knees prevented him from practising in the nets before any of the matches, the result of which two cheap dismissals against New Zealand at Port Elizabeth and Sri Lanka at Newlands where he was a victim of a first ball duck to paceman Dilhara Fernando. Hooper will be thinking afresh about his role as captain and his career. After the team's defeat at Newlands he said: "I will definitely be looking at my future with the team and re-thinking my role as captain. I will sleep on some of the things that are going through my mind and make a decision on my future after that. I have to take it each game at a time. It really depends on how I feel in my body and how much more I can contribute to the West Indies cricket."

The biggest disappointments for the West Indies have been its openers, Chris Gayle and Wavell Hinds. Brian Lara started with a rousing century against South Africa, but he "walked'' after a frustrating 22-ball wait against the Lankans. There's no challenge left for him in the competition, but he might just about concentrate and decide to play another lovely innings in a city that's known for the `Big Hole'. The Kenyans will move forward from here irrespective of the result, but the West Indies will leave, sadly.

The teams (from):

West Indies: Carl Hooper (captain), Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Brian Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Ridley Jacobs, Marlon Samuels, Mervyn Dillon, Vasbert Drakes, Jermaine Lawson, Ricardo Powell, Pedro Collins, Nixon McLean, Corey Collymore.

Kenya: Steve Tikolo (captain), Ravindu Shah, Kennedy Otieno, Maurice Odumbe, Thomas Odoyo, Martin Suji, Hitesh Modi, Tony Suji, Peter Ongondo, Collins Obuya, David Obuya, Joseph Angara, Brijal Patel, Aasif Karim, Alpesh Vadher.

Umpires: Messrs. David Shepherd (England) and Simon Taufel (Australia), TV Umpire: Kevan Barbour; Fourth: C. Pickett.

Hours of Play (IST): 1.30 p.m. to 5; 5.45 p.m. onwards.

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