Does Kenya deserve Test Status ?

[parisa]

lol…there is enough one-sided games and enough embarrassment to go around with Zimbabwe and BD…so what’s the rush to bring Kenya into all these? To see them get thrashed by every other team…hasn’t everybody seen enough of that already with Zimbabwe and BD?
Bangladesh was given the test status so early because of political reasons and because there is serious interest in the game in this country and God knows what…and what a disaster it has all turned into. The ICC should have given it more time. I would hate to see the same thing happening to Kenya…giving them more time to develop their game would do world cricket more good.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Interesting to note Kenya playing Bermuda right now. Steve Tikolo has always been quite clearly the best player in the Kenyan team, and someone certainly good enough to walk in to some of the weaker test sides at the moment, and a class above what is mostly produced by non-test nations. Yesterday he murdered the Bermuda attack for a run-a-ball double century, before chipping in with a pair of wickets with the ball. Odoyo, another player who has always looked a class above most of the Kenyan side, took the other three wickets that fell.

I think it's clear that Kenya have a fair amount of talent available for a minnow nation... and in fact a fair amount more than Bangladesh had when they were first given test status. However, it's unlikely that they would be even remotely competitive, and are likely to decline if anything in the first few years as their best players age. Kenya are the most likely nation to benefit from the increased exposure to top-class ODI cricket that the ICCs latest plans will offer, but shouldn't be given test status until they're both dominating the other minnow nations consistently and being competitive against some of the better nations in ODIs, as well as showing a solid domestic infrastructure for future growth.

edit: I should add what the actual POINT of mentioning the Bermuda game was... which was to point out how much Tikolo and one or two others dominate Kenyan cricket, indicating that they have a few players capable of being competitive but not a team.

Tikolo's 220 came off 233 balls out of a team score of 6/403 dec. Odoyo got 3/22 and Tikolo 2/34 as Bermuda made 7/303 in reply before stumps on day 2.

 

[Slow Love™]

I don't really see how we can accomodate another full test-playing member country with our current crammed itinerary. Which is why I've occasionally been interested in a two-tiered system, although clearly, it's difficult to see a really good way to implement it.

I can see why it could be tempting to simply replace Zimbabwe with Kenya, and as a short-term option it appeals, but I think the ICC should be doing more to try and improve the way things are run at a national level over there (Zim), so that Zimbabwe can, at some stage, live up to reasonable expectations, and not be completely abandoned.

So I guess it's not so much an issue of whether Kenya deserves test status or not, so much as whether the international competition can find room for them. Out of curiosity though, how competitive is their domestic competition, and how much four/five day cricket are the players exposed to, either at home or overseas?

 

[Neil Pickup]

The answer to the last point is zero beyond the InterContinental Cup - three or four games a year.

 

[Slow Love™]

The answer to the last point is zero beyond the InterContinental Cup - three or four games a year.

Really? Well, that's bugger all, and I'm surprised it's (test status) even considered a possibility by anyone if that's the case. Wasn't that essentially the mistake made with Bangladesh in the first place?

 

[Slow Love™]

Haha, I said "bugger".

You can take away our lives, James, but you'll never take our freedom!!!!!!

 

[Neil Pickup]

Really? Well, that's bugger all, and I'm surprised it's (test status) even considered a possibility by anyone if that's the case. Wasn't that essentially the mistake made with Bangladesh in the first place?

Indeed it was. I don't think it's genuinely being considered to be honest. The whole domestic structure was in complete meltdown barely a year ago - clubs being created in places without nets, grounds or wickets for political reasons. I think the domestic league at present is one-day only.

 

[open365]

an answer to the packed itnerary problem;

kenya,bangladesh and zimbabwe tour as 1 team to other countries.

instead of 5 day tests,they each play one 3 day test against the nation they're touring.and the non-minnow teams only have to travel to 2 of the minnows every 4 years,so its the same as normal.

 

[Langeveldt]

Kenya - no
Zim - no
Bangladesh - no

 

[chaminda_00]

Kenya - no
Zim - no
Bangladesh - no

And Namibia yes

 

[Prince EWS]

If you read the cricinfo article you will find that this was pretty much Zim's current top side including Heath Streak that played against Kenya and lost !!

The article claims that, but I had a look at the side and its not even close to full-strength really.

Its not a traditional A-team, because several first-string players did play, but several were missing. Vusi Sibanda, Colin de Grandhomme and Keith Dabengwa arent in the first choice side, and Gregory Strydom isnt even close to it. These players would be replaced with a very good crop of players by Zim standards, including Tatenda Taibu, Andy Blignaut, Anthony Ireland and Elton Chigumbura. Im sure Taibu and Blignaut would have just lapped up the bowling of the likes of Ongondo and Onyango, and Blignaut and Ireland would have made all the difference to a very weak attack.

 

[Craig]

How about Kenya play 4 Day games against the top 8 nations' A teams and then we can see how good they are and can get a idea if they can complete in Test Matches against the top teams.

That's actually one of the best suggestions I have read in this thread.

 

[Hazza]

Doesnt this re-ignite the debate about a test cricket 2nd division?

Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, USA, Kenya, Namibia and Holland all play each other and are ranked as in regular test cricket. If a team improves to merit full international status, then they can be promoted. This gives teams time to improve without damping their confidence by thrashings from the like of England and Australia.

 

[chaminda_00]

If there was a 2nd Divison (which the ICC believe they already have with the InterContential Cup) it would include the six new ODI nations; Kenya, Holland, Ireland, Scotland, Bermuda and Canada plus Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. But the ICC already think they have this in the form of InterContential Cup, so they are unlikely to implement something new.

 

[Hazza]

If there was a 2nd Divison (which the ICC believe they already have with the InterContential Cup) it would include the six new ODI nations; Kenya, Holland, Ireland, Scotland, Bermuda and Canada plus Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. But the ICC already think they have this in the form of InterContential Cup, so they are unlikely to implement something new.

I understand but this would work in the test form of the game too.

 

[Neil Pickup]

The minor countries have enough trouble getting their players time off work for the Inter-Continental. I can't see how anything more complex would work.

 

[chaminda_00]

I understand but this would work in the test form of the game too.

The matches are FC matches over three days, so they are in the longer form, if thats what your asking?

 

[Dizzy #4]

Hey, it took New Zealand a long while before notiching up their first win, I don't see why not to put Kenya in, makes good experance for them, as long as they play minnows thier own level, then a West Indies team should sucumb, after all, they're leading 2-1 in the ODIs.

 

[chaminda_00]

Ireland giving Kenya a big run for there money in the InterContential Cup Final. They need 244 runs to win the game, with most of the last day left.

Scorecard

 

[Neil Pickup]

Go Ireland!