1999 World Cup - Kenya Preview

LONDON - It is so easy to dismiss the claims of Kenya other than anything other than an also ran in this tournament The weather has not been kind although they have scraped together some impressive warm-up scores and the odd victory to boos their morale.

Okay, the got luck against a disorganised West Indies three years ago and beat them by 73 runs which shows that even the cub in the pack can snarl and growl and draw a little blood when they bite.

Although their club base is starting to grow and new names are featuring in their squad, the indigenous Kenyan has yet to embrace the game; yet the feisty and competitive spirit is there. It took Zimbabwe a decade to get their act together and as they climbed out of South Africa's orbit after the early post-isolation years and they can now look back on their success with a certain amount of pride.

Yet Kenya represents a different ICC global shop window, and one which they need to foster to help its growth from associate members status to full member acceptance. Do not smirk at this suggestion as Kenya are eager to leave a burning spear on the door of any side they play in this World Cup that they cannot be brushed aside.

Most English critics have placed a tick along side the box which marks early exit. But who will they upset this time? West Indies are in Group B so that counts them out. It could be India, or even World Cup champions Sri Lanka. And should they catch South Africa on a bad day, as they did the Windies, well, who knows.

Led by streetwise Asif Karim and coached by Alvin Kallicharran, who has had an uneasy relationship with the team's vice-captain, Maurice Odumbe, leading up to the tournament, Kenya have a couple of more recent credits to their record than that one victory against the West Indies.

Last year they beat India and have a better record against such ICC Associate member nations as the upstart Bangladesh who are clamouring for Test status.

Steve Tikolo is a hard-hitting batsman who has a spirit of African adventure about his game and Odumbe is as pugnacious as he is competitive. Martin Suji is a bowler of some pace, but as with the remainder, sadly, the English climate is unlikely to create an atmosphere of cheerfulness among a normally happy-go lucky types who inhabit their side.

English critics summing up the Kenyans have been arrogantly dismissive; just as they have been of Bangladesh, while Scotland, well, they were given a bigger more space than the current World Cup champions Sri Lanka and hopeful outsiders New Zealand and Zimbabwe. It will be interesting who will end up with more egg on their face should Karim's team pull off a Poona style result against England. It was leap year day, 1996 when they beat the West Indies. England and Kenya meet on May 18 in Canterbury ... watch this space.

Statistics

• Team World Cup Records
• Team One-Day International Records
• Kenya Statistics