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Kenya's Cricket Heroes

Written by Don Wainaina

Tuesday, 20 March 2007

Later today (20th March) a team from Kenya will go out to do battle against a far more experienced side in something of a David vs Goliath style clash.

Kenya are undoubtedly the under-dogs but they are led by legendary Captain Steve Tikolo. New Zealand will not have an easy ride.

The ICC World Cup is here once again- is it really 4 years?-and the boys from team Kenya did a great job in an emphatic victory over Canada in their opening match of the competition. True to form Captain Steve Tikolo led from the front and by example in a fine display of a team working as a single unit. The team came to the World Cup fresh from victory at the World Cricket League tournament held in Nairobi between 29 January and 7 February this year. Kenya recorded good wins against Bermuda, The Netherlands, Ireland and Canada before beating Scotland in the final.

As we go to face New Zealand let us remember that Kenya Cricket has notched up more successes than any other sporting team in our country. The team placed us firmly on the world cricketing map with that famous major upset against the Great West Indies during the 1996 world cup. The teams effort in reaching the semi-finals stage at the last world cup (2003) showed their continuing development and today Kenya is ranked number 1 in the non-Test Cricket Nations.

How about this then :would it not be in order to call upon the sporting authorities and others concerned to recognise and reward the efforts of the players and officials and all the others who have made these successes possible? Could we not make them National Heroes, give them the status that they deserve and get our kids to emulate them. I have nothing against radio DJs and other such celebrities that today's young idolise but will Kenya ever honour her players and have Big Names like Sir Garry Sobers, Sir Viv Richards, Sachin Tendulkar, Imran Khan or Brian Lara?

It seems that though Kenya Cricket has succeeded internationally it needs to do a lot of work to recruit fans back home. Few Kenyans can name a single player in the national Team. Chris Tsuma's report on the sporting page of today's Nation is instructive. After giving a fair preview of the NZ match the remaining three-quarters of the article tries to educate the reader on the rules of the game. It seems we still have a way to go.

Even as Kenya Cricket continues to win international plaudits the life of an international cricketer in Kenya is not all rosy. Most of the team are amateurs in a professional world, holding "day jobs" as a matter of necessity. The rest of their time is eaten up in training and with only 24 hours in the day that cannot do much for the personal and social life.

Finally, perhaps you may recall what transpired between these two teams at the last world cup If so it is imperative that you to get behind our team today and cheer them to a very deserved victory.Your country needs you!

Kenya's team S Tikolo, T Odoyo, R Shah, T Mishra, C Obuya, P Ongondo, N Odhiambo, M Ouma, M Patel, H Varaiya, D Obuya, R Bhudia, J Kamande, T Suji, L Onyango

Don Wainaina
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Cricket fans in Kenya
written by Amina , March 20, 2007

Interesting article Dan. I have wondered many times why Cricket, our based performing sport, isn't very popular among Kenyans. My inexpert opinion? Unlike soccer, cricket is an elitist sport. Many Kenyans do not identify with the game, nor do they know much about it.

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written by Tim Norwood , March 20, 2007

Appearances are deceiving. A quick look at the profiles of the players in the Kenyan cricket team will show you that they are not at all part of the 'elite'.

Secondly, are there really any social classes in Kenya, given that most people came by their money through stealing. Best case in point being the President's wife, or John Michuki, or Raila Odinga very wealthy people, of the ruling class undoubtedly but at the same time the most vulgar people in the country.

Or do you mean that it costs money to buy cork, stumps and bats? In much poorer countries there's greater take-up of cricket even in the poorest neighbourhoods.

I wish I had TV, the website is truly pathetic.

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written by Amina , March 20, 2007

Will not dwell too much on social classes in Kenya-- All the same, Kenya, especially in urban areas is very class stratified, there is no arguing that. Whether money is stolen or not, is irrelevant.

Back to cricket-- is Bangladesh the poorer country? It faces the same phenomenon that Kenyan cricket does. Tell me Norwood, what do u think then that cricket is not popular in Kenya. Not publicised enough?

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written by Nakeel , March 20, 2007

Tim I got two words for you go educate yourself is all I can say. Name for me how many public cricket grounds do Kenya has. Yes cricket is a game for the elite in Kenya it is not like football where you will get papers make a ball and start dribbling we need money for bats, stumps and the ball and on top of that get the guards and helmet otherwise if you cant afford it then you cant play it.

For those who think it has not been publicised enough cricket is not counted by goals and most people dont have patience to wait for a full day to finally see the results its technical and Kenyans hate technicallity same as tennis.

To Don strong piece. Amina Thanks for the support.

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written by Tim Norwood , March 20, 2007

I am guessing the members of the Kenyan cricket national team are the children of the rich then?

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written by Donhaffi , March 20, 2007

Who is this Tim Norwood by the way. Listen, only the rich have time and patience to wait a whole day for the results. The other people of lower classes are busy trying to make ends meet. Does that answer your question Sir?

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written by aeichener , March 20, 2007

Give me ten poor Ogiek girls between 16 and 24 years of age, and one year time, and I'll easily win the African continental shooting championships with them. There is so much sports talent in Kenya, dormant and unexplored.

As to class: unlike the USA, sports in Kenya - with exception of running and boxing - are for the well-to-do. Look at the newspaper notices about young sportmen and sportswomen: not a single climber, all from well-connected middle to upper class parents. That is sooooo different in the Global North (though it was the same state there in the 19th and early 20th century).

Alexander

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written by Kamale , March 20, 2007

Cricket in Kenya was predominantly an "indian" game with a few "mzungu". However the poor kenyan ball boys as well as those that were learning it by looking at the game being played are the Tikolos and Odoyos of today. Virtually the entire "black" contigent of cricket players did not go to St. Mary's or Lenana. They went to schools like Jamhuri High and Parklands secondary which are hardly the 'class' schools people would imagine these guys went to!

It is therefore wrong to imagine that it is a class sport. Perhaps you can say sports like Motorsports, golf and rugby represent the class sports in this country!!

I was in Chennai in India a couple of weeks ago and one Saturday every open place had both children and adults palying cricket. In Kenya, those same open places (...ok the few remaining ones!) has both kids and adults playing football (and soccer for the yankees!). It is really a matter of interest than anything else!

With regard to acknowledgement of out sporting heroes, I sometimes think it perhaps envy of the achievements of our sporting heroes in the money arena that makes people ignore them. Why then were people identifying with Patrick Njiru or Wilberforce Mulamba of rallying and footballing fame than with Catherine Ndereba or Paul Tergat? I think the problem is the fact in the athletes apart from the international fame, they are seen as doing it to make money unlike Patrick and Wilberforce who did not make money but had a passion for the sport!

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written by Tim Norwood , March 20, 2007

I fear we are hijacking an otherwise promising thread.

You do not need to be wealthy to take part in cricket.The Indians,Bangladeshis, Pakistanis, West Indians etcthe stars are from very humble backgrounds.Look at the Kenya team'sline up. Those boys are not from middle-class homes even.

aeichener,
I would say it is more than just boxing and running. In fact the Kenyan middle and upper classes do not normally permit their children to take part in sports in a serious way.

Only class defined sports in Kenya are polo, and maybe swimming,and obvious ones like kart especially at the national level.

Kamale,
Not even rugby I don't think. I know many of those boys/ men/ old men. Maybe the lower middle classes at best I have never seen any wealthy Kenyans permit their children to take part in professional sport at this level.

But right you are about those cricket boys, and more power to them.

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written by John Ongeri , March 20, 2007

I will join in wishing the team all the very best. Whatever happens they have done us proud.

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written by aeichener , March 20, 2007

Golf is not class defined for Tim? Interesting.
In athletics, why for example do we not have any javelin throwers on international level? Have you ever heard of African fencers (outside South Africa, and possibly Egypt)? Bicyclists? One could do an endless lists of sports *not* taken to competitive levels, and none of those that I mentioned are extremely expensive.

Maybe one should just close down KFF and use their money for sports instead... :wink:

Alexander

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Kenya Cricket Website
written by aeichener , March 20, 2007

Nick Deverell (yes, he is the son of the appeals court judge) maintains an enthusiast's website on Kenyan cricket. Have a look:

http://kenyacricket.blogspot.com/

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so far so bad
written by kendirangu , March 20, 2007

so far looks like we are loosing. smilies/sad.gif

http://cricketworldcup.indya.com/scores/html/live/matchcast.htm

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written by Masaa , April 30, 2007

Simply put, the economic benefits behind such a sport are not that attractive in kenya.You will realise, that the cricket team had a lot of financial problems a while back which also hindered its development.

Fact is, although kenyans are blessed with immense sporting capabilities, are not encouraged to take up sport as a career option...unaambiwa hiyo michezo itakuletea nini? Nenda ukasome kijana wachana na huo upuzi unaoita michezo... after this talk, you really think twice about taking up sport and as a result, we are at a mediocre level........only athletics stand out and maybe women's volleyball.

Anyway sad that the cricket team lost seriously to New Zealand.There may be still some hope left of beating England.

Go boys!!

GG Kenya team!

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