Freischaltung » and now theres that.They just keep on motivating

Steve Tikolo still remembers it well. After Kenyas defeat in the semi-final of the 2003 World Cup, Michael Holding told me that the ICC had earmarked Kenya to be the next Test-playing country, he said recently. It would have been a glorious reward for Kenyas golden generation, a side that announced themselves to the world when they bundled out West Indies for 93 in the 1996 World Cup, and beat India in two ODIs before the glories of 2003.It never happened. Instead, Kenya were doomed to be the Icarus of Associate cricket, flying closer than anyone else to the sun and then falling to oblivion.Just when they needed help most, they were shunned by the myopia of the Full Members: Kenya played only five ODIs against Test nations from the 2003 World Cup to the end of 2005. Yet theirs was a self-imposed demise too.Our cricket management let us down big time, Tikolo reflected, calling corruption an open secret. The malaise extended to the team: Maurice Odumbe was banned for five years after being found guilty of associating with a known bookmaker.With a tiny playing base, and a poorly run team, Kenya collapsed. They made little impact at the 2007 and 2011 World Cups, and by 2013 they were forced to summon Tikolo, their one-time batting titan, out of retirement at the age of 42. Damningly, he was still among Kenyas best players when they lost ODI status in early 2014. Failure to qualify for the current edition of the Intercontinental Cup, the ICCs first-class competition for the top eight Associates, soon followed. Years of High Performance Programme seemed to have left no legacy at all - either on the team or the infrastructure in Kenya.Now, though, there is a little hope. On Friday the Nairobi Gymkhana ground hosts Kenyas opening match against Hong Kong in the World Cricket League Championship. It will be Kenyas first home game in an ICC-run tournament for four years and, it is hoped, a seminal point in the nations cricketing recovery.There is palpable excitement with cricket returning, says Rakep Patel, the skipper. He sees the matches as an opportunity to change the narrative around Kenyan cricket. Its been all doom and gloom in recent times with stories that Kenya cricket is dead.Much has been said about how Pakistan have been impeded by not being able to play a home Test since 2009, but consider the magnitude of Kenyas challenge: trying to grow a niche sport in the country without being able to play at home. That is why Cricket Kenya has worked with the government and security forces to bring international cricket back to the country. Perhaps the governments commitment represents renewed interest in helping what was once the nations most successful sports team.The return home comes at a time when there are tentative signs of the team improving too. They are definitely a team and country on the up, says Andy Hobbs, the ICCs acting Head of Global Development.Kenya performed respectably in the World T20 qualifiers last year, winning three of their five completed games. In the World Cricket League Championship, they have won three of their six games, including beating Namibia away twice last year. No one would pretend these results are remotely spectacular, but at least there is the sense that Kenya have halted their descent. And these results have been achieved with a team far younger than the one that lost ODI status two years ago.Irfan Karim, the teams leading batsman, who had a successful stint for Leicestershire 2nd XI last year, says that the team must improve their mental strength and game awareness.There are glimpses that youth development has improved, as Cricket Kenya has piloted programmes to grow the sport beyond its heartlands in Mombasa and Nairobi. The board is working on improving the education of coaches. In December, a new Under-19 tournament will launch, putting the most talented youngsters into three teams. According to the ICC census, there are now 3495 junior players in the country, up from 1100 in 2009.But, as ever with ICC census figures, some are sceptical. Three thousand five hundred youngsters? Its a joke, says Aasif Karim. If we had 5% of those figures, I would be happy. Those figures are totally fabricated.His son Irfan is rather more diplomatic. Better facilities, academies and higher-qualified coaches need to be put in place for there to be progress, he says. Increasing participation levels is not as easy as it sounds. Poverty is a problem in Kenya and some families are more focused on where their next meal is coming from. Without the basic needs fulfilled, cricket or sport becomes a non-existent thought. This is where the government needs to intervene and provide support in whatever way possible.Cricket Kenya also urgently needs to improve the domestic structure. Kenyas golden team learned the game playing alongside the likes of Sanjay Manjrekar, Kiran More, Sandeep Patil and Mark Ramprakash for clubs in Nairobi. Now, club cricket standards are very low, laments Aasif Karim. There may be only five quality matches a year. At times, club teams even fail to raise 11 players.On the bright side, Cricket Kenya is now run far better than in the years after 2003. Ten years ago their focus was very much on the national team, whereas now theres a very strong focus on the whole cricket system - on education, domestic leagues, grassroots, development and womens cricket, Hobbs reflects. Theyve got some really good people in there, and theres not been the underlying challenges there have been in the past.Jackie Janmohamed, the chairperson of Cricket Kenya and an eminent lawyer, has helped to improve governance of the game, yet her work remains unfinished. The system is corrupt. It needs a complete jolt, says Aasif Karim. The foundations are non-existent. Its time Kenyan cricket must accept that we are really down. We keep on denying it. Karim rues how Tom Tikolo, who resigned as Cricket Kenya chief executive in 2009 after $10,000 in cash was left unaccounted for, has returned to the game, as Chairman of Nairobi Provincial Association.At least administrators are now organising far more matches outside the ICC structure, even if the opposition are a salutary reminder of how far Kenya have fallen. They won a quadrangular series in September, albeit against Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Uganda, and the A side is about to embark on a quadrangular series in Uganda.Kenya have also benefited from Cricket South Africa taking a more active role developing the game in the continent. The national side performed reasonably in both their appearances in the Africa T20 Cup, winning one of their three games in 2015 and 2016.At a time when Afghanistan and Ireland can glimpse a tantalising future, Kenyan ambitions are altogether more modest. Theyre a country of huge potential, as they showed in 2003, says Hobbs. If they continue to remain stable off the pitch I see no reason why they couldnt be regularly in the top echelons of Associate cricket, in the top four.After the halycon age of 1996 to 2003, becoming a leading Associate side in ODIs once again, and regularly qualifying for the World T20, hardly sounds like a lofty aspiration. But after all that Kenyan cricket has been through since, it would be a triumph. Perhaps Associate crickets Icarus might yet come back to life.Shane Battier Jersey . Nigeria beat surprise package Ethiopia 2-0 in the second leg of their playoff for a comfortable 4-1 aggregate victory. Victor Moses converted a 20th-minute penalty after an Ethiopian handball, and Victor Obinna made certain of Nigerias place in Brazil with his powerful free kick in the 82nd at UJ Esuene Stadium. 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Allen Iverson Jersey .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras.An angry Queensland claim Paul Gallens post-match snub has inspired them to extend their State of Origin dominance.The Maroons could barely control their rage over retiring skipper Gallen turning his back and leading NSW away during Queensland captain Cameron Smiths speech after the Blues 18-14 game three win on Wednesday night.After raising the Origin trophy to mark Queenslands 10th series win in 11 years, Smith was paying tribute to Gallen while the seemingly-oblivious NSW captain walked off.It was a bad look after Gallen had criticised Queensland for being bad winners ahead of his 24th and final Origin.Queensland playmaker Johnathan Thurston said the snub had put a fire in the belly for 2017.Yeah, no doubt about it, he said.I dont want to get into a slanging match here but it was pretty disrespectful.I think that typifies what that team is about.Gallen did not help his cause when asked about the incident, saying he didnt even notice Smiths post-match ceremony speech.Smith was clearly not impressed after also accepting the Wally Lewis Medal as player of the series.Its something our team wouldnt do, he said.Smith said Queensland made a point of staying on the field during Gallens post-match victory speech after NSWs rare series win in 2014 which snapped eight straight years of Maroons dominance.We didnt walk away. We made a point of staying there for Pauls speech and him lifting the shield and congratulating their victory, he said.Thats what we are about.Queennsland great Gorden Tallis compared Gallens snub with the Blues now infamous post-try celebrations during their 56-16 game three win in 2000.ddddddddddddThe greatest thing is thats our motivation for next year, Tallis told Triple M radio.There was the hand grenade (try celebration) 10 or so years ago and now theres that.They just keep on motivating the squad every year.Smith said he wouldnt lose too much sleep over Gallens bad winners tag.Gals been involved in the boxing game and its that showmanship really, trying to pump up the series and he does a good job at it, he said.I think we have been gracious and humble with our victories, same when we lost in 2014.Gal can say whatever he wants. We are comfortable in our skin.The Maroons were denied a fifth series whitewash by NSWs last-gasp game three win.But Smith couldnt see Queenslands winning run ending any time soon based on their game three effort where they were on the wrong end of a 12-4 penalty count.I think we can continue our dominance, based on the team that we have got, he said.What team has a right to be in a game with that penalty count against them?I dont think I have ever been in a game with a count like that, let alone a State of Origin.Thurston added: In the end Queensland got the shield and we will have it for another 12 months.I am very proud of this teams dominance. ' ' '