***Official***World Cup 2011 Qualifiers

[Magrat Garlick]

Pretty close in the end. Time the real thing started. Kenya first up, will be a cracker.

Hope the Oranje win and get nicely inflated confidence.

 

[laksh_01]

How many of U will have sleepless night (just like me) before the tournament starts?

 

[Steulen]

Hope the Oranje win and get nicely inflated confidence.

So they lose out to Denmark? Or what's your vested interest in this?

I simply hope they're assured of qualification by the time the Super Eight gets nasty. A win against Kenya would get them a long way towards that goal.

I would be disappointed if the Dutch finished lower than second in the goup, tbh, so they should go into the S8 with 2 wins counting. That would still make the games against Scotland, Ireland and Namibia way too important. Beating Kenya should mean being allowed one defeat against one of the good sides from Group A.

 

[Steulen]

How many of U will have sleepless night (just like me) before the tournament starts?

You're from Afghanistan, right? If so, I can understand why this would mean a lot to you.

I'm really hoping the Dutch will come through this one, but not to the point of sleep deprivation

 

[Magrat Garlick]

So they lose out to Denmark? Or what's your vested interest in this?

Yep. That's the idea.

Though knowing the Danes, Klokker will waft for a duck and they'll crash out after the first match.

Oh, and I think everyone can afford to lose twice?

 

[Steulen]

Yep. That's the idea.

Though knowing the Danes, Klokker will waft for a duck and they'll crash out after the first match.

Oh, and I think everyone can afford to lose twice?

Three losses could even be OK. Let's just say I'd prefer a smooth scenario.

 

[laksh_01]

You're from Afghanistan, right? If so, I can understand why this would mean a lot to you.

I'm really hoping the Dutch will come through this one, but not to the point of sleep deprivation

Na am from India & I love to support NTP Nations...

 

[BoyBrumby]

Most of the Denmark squad went home from SA on March 14, having won two and lost one against Eastern Province club opposition. Frederik Klokker (wk), Mickey Lund (ageing lb), Thomas Hansen (veteran lfm), Henrik Saxe Hansen (likewise right-armer), Rizwan Mahmood (young bat), and Rohit Kanaiya (their Ronnie Irani pick) stayed behind to train with Eastern Province.

I guess the rest will land in time for the warm-up with Uganda.

? Can't bat, can't bowl?

 

[andruid]

Looking at the scorecard, Kenya didnt do that bad, just a bad day for Odhiambo.

Also, not sure if this had been posted


Canada well beaten by Zimbabwe A - Beyond the Test World at Cricinfo

Still cant find anything on Oman and Denmark.

He'd be a valuable asset as the third seamer seems to be the position the Kenyans are struggling with at the moment. Nemi went for 75 off 9 and Bhudia 35 off 4 in that warm up match. It appears all the batsmen chipped in with no one really going on with the job. Still, the side they played was a fairly strong side having done more research.

Also, Ireland got crunched by Zimbabwe A.

Ireland crushed by Zimbabwe A

On the Kenya 3rd seamer issue neatly sets out how the lack of apparent priorities by the national selectors and coaches are not geared to filling the gaps being left by old timers. If the likes of Nemi Odhiambo, Rajesh Bhudia, Elijah Otieno, Alex Obanda, Rakep Patel...(the list goes on) were allowed to go out into the world like Ragheb Aga has and play decent standard comepetive cricket on a more regular basis, they would bowl with alot more discipline/build their innings better, but then when the few that do go out and become the sort of proffessional cricketer Kenya needs to move forward they never get selected again

I'm going to do a blog on the issue at the end of the WCQ's irrespective of the result (see my homepage by right-clicking on my username)

 

[andruid]

More about Uganda

It seriously does my head in how Ugandan cricket has such good coverage by a paper who's Kenyan equivalent is so Sh****

 

[Magrat Garlick]

? Can't bat, can't bowl?

Indeed. 35 years old, never called up until 32, bowls third change and averages 13 in the Danish league.

 

[laksh_01]

So Ireland defeat Afghanistan quite comfortably, but their batting still looks shaky... Afghanistan on the other hand, welcome to serious cricket... Can someone pls post the list of Warm-up fixtures?

 

[Magrat Garlick]

So Ireland defeat Afghanistan quite comfortably, but their batting still looks shaky... Afghanistan on the other hand, welcome to serious cricket... Can someone pls post the list of Warm-up fixtures?

Cricket Archive

Reports from Scotland's first and Second game against Pretoria University (The Tuks)

Afghans were also skittled by Oman, interestingly. Trouble with the moving ball in cold, humid air, maybe?

 

[alvarez]

Uganda had an easy win over Boland. Olwenyi scored 98 off 88 balls and Kamkuya got 4 wickets.

 

[andruid]

Uganda had an easy win over Boland. Olwenyi scored 98 off 88 balls and Kamkuya got 4 wickets.

They are the dark horses fro mine.

Kenya knock over Pretoria Uni, Odoyo giving the innings vital impetus with a 66 ball 70, runs all around but no other particularly dominat score. Seren Waters has a go at three as Ouma promoted to open again as the musical chairs that is kenya's batting lineup rolls on. On the bowling side varaiaya picking up three wickets to be the stand out bowler.

 

[alvarez]

They are the dark horses fro mine.

Kenya knock over Pretoria Uni, Odoyo giving the innings vital impetus with a 66 ball 70, runs all around but no other particularly dominat score. Seren Waters has a go at three as Ouma promoted to open again as the musical chairs that is kenya's batting lineup rolls on. On the bowling side varaiaya picking up three wickets to be the stand out bowler.

Surely they arent going to move Obanda from 3 again. Actually, he hasnt played in any of the warm ups according to the scorecards....

 

[Steulen]

More warm-ups today. The Netherlands (305/8, Kervezee 63, Zuiderent 63, RTD 72; Cheema 5/57) beat Canada 267ao (Dhaniram 69).

Looked to be a rout until a 10th wicket Canadian partnership of 53 made the unthinkable possible. In the end a comfortable win for the Dutch who played with probably their best batting and bowling line-up (looking at the scorecard, this was probably an "11 bat, 11 field" type of match). Good to see Bas Zuiderent in good form with the bat.

 

[alvarez]

Also, Namibia beat Bermuda by 6 wickets. Bermuda made 219/8 with Hemp and J.Tucker making half centuries. Van Der Westheizen was the best of the Namibian bowlers with 3 wickets.

Namibia 221/4 with Van Der Westheizen making 51 in a good all round performance, and as usual Gerrie Snyman chipped in with an aggressive 36 not out to get them home.


Also, Afghanistan beat Oman by 6 wickets.

Kenya v Scotland
Ireland v UAE
Denmark v Uganda tonight.

My picks are Kenya, Ireland and Uganda.

Hoping Obanda gets a run for Kenya.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Hoping Obanda gets a run for Kenya.

No such luck.

Kenya 21/2, 20-year-old Callum MacLeod (second most Scottish name after Hamish McHaggis) having removed openers Kennedy Otieno and Seren Waters. Ouma now batting with Tikolo.

 

[Chemosit]

no idea why Obanda has not had a run yet unless he is injured which is really bad timing.

I much prefer the line up as follows:
1. Waters (16 & 33)
2. K Obuya (26 & 45)
3. Obanda (DNP)
4. Tikolo (20 & 20)

which begs the question of which 2 of the following 3 to play:
Ouma (47 & 12 in the last 2 warm ups)
J Kamande (62 & 2 - but surely gets one of the slots for his bowling)
C Obuya (38 & 47*)

I would probably prefer Collins both on form and temperament. Kennedy to keep wicket.

3rd & 4th seamer is really an issue. Again my preference would be for Otieno over the more expensive others. It is a shame Aga is not there - I think the policy is for CK to consider players based abroad, but they have to pay their way back to Nairobi for training from where the final squad is picked. Not the best policy by a long way, but at least they are consistent with it. Onyango (Ngoche) has looked the best of the rest so far.

From the current squad, my best team would be:
Waters, K Otieno, Obanda, Tikolo, Odoyo, C Obuya, Kamande, Varaiya, Ongondo, Otieno, Onyango.

One solution would be to commit to the 3 spinners bowling at least 1/2 the overs. Risky if one of them gets a going over, but then include the extra batsman. Odoyo and Ongodo need to start bowling their full 10 overs anyway. that way the 3rd seamer only needs to bowl 5 overs.

sorry - ridiculously long post