A chance to revive cricket
What you need to know:
- The country lost its ODI status in 2014 amid mismanagement and wrangling among officials.
Last year, Kenya finished bottom of the 2019 Cricket World Cup Challenge League “B” in Oman.
Even before the Covid-19 pandemic struck, there was little activity in Kenyan cricket. Kenya has achieved a lot in the past, qualifying for the International Cricket Council World Cup in 1996, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011.
Local fans have fond memories of the 2003 edition of the global tournament, which was co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya from February 9 to March 24, 2003. Kenya, playing under the prestigious One Day International (ODI) status, reached the semi-finals, becoming the first non-Test nation to progress beyond the first round of the quadrennial tournament.
The country qualified for the 2011 edition in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka but lost all its matches and was bundled out at the group stage.
After 2011, things went south. The country lost its ODI status in 2014 amid mismanagement and wrangling among officials.
Last year, Kenya finished bottom of the 2019 Cricket World Cup Challenge League “B” in Oman.
With no national league in place, local cricketers have for long depended on the Nairobi Provincial Cricket League (NPCL) to prepare for national assignments.
Court battles
Incessant wrangling and court battles among Cricket Kenya officials led teams to boycott the league last year. Instead, the teams opted to compete in Nairobi Invitational Cricket League (NICL) in November at Nairobi Gymkhana.
This is why Simba Premier League, due in September 10 to 19 at Ruaraka Sports Club, is welcome news to players. It promises to kick-start cricket activities in Kenya.
Launched early this week by former Kenyan internationals Thomas Odoyo, Peter Ong’ondo, Jimmy Kamande and Martin Suiji, it offers players a chance to revive their careers.
The tournament, to be held in a Twenty20 format, will feature top players from Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan and offers Kenya players a chance to measure themselves against the best.
Organisers must strictly observe health protocols to ensure participants are not exposed to Covid-19. They must also observe Ministry of Sports guidelines on resumption of sporting activities.
