Kenya’s win in India points at potential

Pakistan is increasingly proving itself – and its fans have got back their voices, and have started shouting that it is time international cricket matches went back to their country.

The move not to stage international matches in Pakistan was not arrived at because of Pakistan’s poor performance though, but it was due to insecurity.

But afterwards, everything started going wrong what with its players getting accused of match fixing.

But its resurgence has given its fans hope; and they feel that this is a good starting point, a bargaining chip and they feel the International Cricket Council should do more – return cricket matches back to Pakistan grounds – and the team’s performance will even be better.

Just last week, Pakistan beat the world’s number one test side, England, by a whole 10 wickets, and inside three days in the first Test in Dubai.

As I mentioned last week, India and Sri Lanka are on the back foot and while the Indians are reeling under the Australian pace attack Down Under, Sri Lanka is under pressure is South Africa – and their administrators have been seeking answers which to some extent, seems to be working.

After three straight ODI loses in South Africa in which the third ODI was decided through the Duckworth/ Lewis system after the match was abandoned due to rain, Sri Lanka’s cricket bosses could not just sit back and watch the 1996 World Champions crumble – so they stirred things up, and on Friday, they won the fourth ODI by five wickets.

Lessons from Sri Lanka

By the time of going to Press, India, whose captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was banned for the next Test match, was yet to prove if the noises BCCI and the Indian media have been making have made any difference.

Sri Lanka’s revival is proof that when problems are identified early enough and solutions sought, the results can always be positive.

But there are times when the positive results can only be for a while, or a match and the hardest part is maintaining a winning form. For Sri Lanka, that is yet to be seen.

The same can also be said of Kenya which had been on a tour of India, playing State side Andhra.

After a string of poor performances, the Collins Obuya-captained Kenya got its groove back and in the eighth Twenty20, beat the hosts by 63 runs after Ragheb Aga, batting at number six, hit an unbeaten 42-ball 75 and Nelson Odhiambo managed 20 not out.

David Obuya also gave a good account of himself with a 42-ball 50 and his younger brother, the captain shone with the ball and ended with figures of 3 for 17.

Although it can be argued that Kenya should be playing country sides and not state sides, the win points to an improvement and the boys should not be laughed out of town, but should be encouraged – but they also have to realise that this will only work if they do not slacken.

Performance never consistent

Time and again, Kenya’s performance has never been consistent – and the loses far outnumber the wins because they rest on their laurels and never follow up their few wins with more wins.

Considering that the Indian tour was a build-up for the forthcoming international assignments, the team needs to keep up the tempo and build on its Indian successes if it is to make a mark in its international assignments.