Kenya must overcome recent poor results
06-24-2010 4:25 pm

Kenya ready to put recent disappointments behind it Ouma: “There will be added responsibility on the shoulders of the senior boys”

Kenya is determined to put a series of recent disappointing results behind it in its quest to regain the ICC World Cricket League Division 1 which will be staged in the Netherlands from 1 to 10 July. Despite winning the tournament in Nairobi in 2007, Kenya has lost 16 of its last 20 ODIs and failed to qualify for the last two World Twenty20 tournaments.

However, Kenya captain Maurice Ouma is not feeling the heat and is confident his side will succeed in turning things around.

“While we’re expected to play and perform well, there is no added pressure on us,” he said.

“We’re professional cricketers and understand that there are times when the going can be tough. But the bottom line is you have to learn from the past so that you could live in the present.”

“The event in 2007 was in our backyard and we had all the advantages like crowd support, understanding of the pitches and weather conditions. And to our credit, we made full use of those favourable conditions by playing consistently well,” said the 27-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman ahead of his side’s departure for Amsterdam.

“This present squad is a talented and committed bunch of players who are keen to play to their true potential in the forthcoming tournament. I don’t think the players require any further motivation as these factors are more than enough to encourage and charge your batteries,” he said.

Kenya will miss Steve Tikolo, David Obuya and Peter Ondongo who were part of the 2007 squad while other players missing from the 2009 World Cup Qualifier in South Africa include Kennedy Obuya, Seren Waters, Rajesh Bhudiya and Lameck Ngoche.

This leaves Ouma along with James Kamande, Collins Obuya, Hiren Varaiya and Thomas Odoyo under the spotlight. Between them they share 376 ODIs out of a total of 489 ODIs which the current side has played in total. Those have scored 5,596 runs out of 7,157 and have shared 247 out of 312 wickets between them.

“Their absence will put additional responsibility on the vastly experienced shoulders of the senior boys as we have a young and energetic but relatively inexperienced side that includes three players who have not played at the international level while the experience of three other players is in single digits in terms of matches played.

“The senior pros will have to take the responsibility and not only guide and inspire the youngsters but also control the proceedings on match days. It’s all about transferring the knowledge and preparing players for the future. And this event will go a long way in achieving both the objectives.”

Kenya: Maurice Ouma (captain), James Kamande, Collins Obuya, Dominic Wesonga, Alex Obanda, Elijah Otieno, Hiren Varaiya, Rakep Patel, Alfred Luseno, Nehemiah Odhiambo, Thomas Odoyo, James Ngoche, Shem Ngoche, Nelsen Odhiambo, Francis Ndege.