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Cricket Kenya has been forced to cancel a short tour to England after a contractual dispute arose between the board and the players on the eve of the trip

Martin Williamson18-Jun-2010Cricket Kenya has been forced to cancel a short tour to England after a contractual dispute arose between the board and the players on the eve of the trip. The players are refusing to travel unless the board agree to their contract demands, and Kenya’s preparations for the World Cricket League Division One tournament in Netherlands have been thrown into turmoil.The trip to Rochdale, Lancashire was meant to have been a warm-up for the competition in Netherlands, and the players’ decision was only relayed to the board hours before they were due to leave. It is believed that the boycott will leave CK around $50,000 out of pocket.The contracts for the 16-man national squad expired at the end of May and had been expected to be renewed without difficulty, CK offering a 10% pay rise despite continuing poor on-field performances from the team.However, last week a four-man deputation claiming to represent the squad met with CK officials and set out new terms which were deemed unacceptable. They included reverting to a number of old terms and conditions which had been set aside a few years ago after the ICC, African Cricket Association and CK decided they stifled new players.Surprisingly, the deputation did not contain any of the current squad but did include Maurice Odumbe, Steve Tikolo and Kennedy Otieno as well as Isaiah Odhiambo. Various demands were made by these “representatives” involving radical changes to the structure of the contract – including huge increases to players’ remuneration. Various other complaints unrelated to the contract – including a complaint against the behaviour of the chairman of selectors – were deferred. They also refused to allow any board member to approach the team directly.On Wednesday, the quartet appeared on television and launched a vicious attack on the board, demanding among other things that several key officials stand down. CK attempted to broker a solution, offering interim contracts with assurances that the issues would be addressed on the team’s return but this was declined.”It’s the same old story,” an insider said. “They are trying to use a tour as blackmail.” The role of the seemingly self-appointed gang of four was also heavily criticised. “We will not be put against a wall to deal with people like this.”An official statement said: “Cricket Kenya regards this conduct by these ‘players’ representatives’ as outrageous and disgraceful. Having regard to the gratuitously offensive nature of the allegations made and the questionable agenda of the former players involved, the Cricket Kenya Board unanimously resolved not to engage with these ‘player representatives’ any further.”The player representatives concerned had no authority whatsoever to go public in this way. They are neither accredited formally by the players nor are they part of a properly registered players association. Their sole function was to negotiate terms with Cricket Kenya on behalf of the players. The players’ contracts specifically forbid any player from engaging with the press and to criticize the national board. It is plain that their real motive was intended solely to undermine and embarrass Cricket Kenya.”Kenya’s cricketers are already highly paid, with senior players earning around $1500 a month, almost ten times the national average, and juniors around $800.Aside from the considerable loss of goodwill among those in England who have bent over backwards to accommodate the Kenyan tour, there is also concern over preparations for the World Cricket League Division One tournament which starts early next month. The squad has already been submitted to the ICC, although CK is believed to be prepared to send a weakened side if the stand-off continues.”Cricket Kenya stands by its decision and is determined not to be held to ransom by the national team – or by its so-called ‘representatives’- in this way,” the statement concluded.The position of Maurice Ouma as captain also appears untenable. He accompanied the four delegates to the original meeting and by refusing to even allow the board to talk to the team it seems likely he will be replaced.

Scotland captain Gavin Hamilton, allrounder Ryan Watson and Durham batsman Kyle Coetzer have been added to Scotland’s squad to take on England at Grange Cricket Club on Saturday.

Cricinfo staff16-Jun-2010Scotland captain Gavin Hamilton, allrounder Ryan Watson and Durham batsman Kyle Coetzer have been added to Scotland’s squad to take on England at Grange Cricket Club on Saturday.Scotland will be boosted by their return after a team containing four debutants fell to a six-wicket defeat to Netherlands on June 15. With Dewald Nel ruled out through injury, these three experienced players, as well as Neil McCallum and Ross Lyons, are the only players in the squad who played in the inaugural ODI against England two years ago.”The remodelling of the national squad is now taking shape and it has a good blend of youth and experience,” said chairman of selectors Iain Kennedy. “With young players such as Davey, Goudie, Mommsen, Berrington and Parker all under 23 and starting out their careers, it is pleasing that we have some really experienced players such as Hamilton, Watson, Lockhart and McCallum to support them as they develop as cricketers.”The challenge can’t get any harder than playing the Twenty20 world champions, but we are confident we can compete against them.”Scotland squad: Gavin Hamilton (capt), Gordon Drummond, Richie Berrington, Kyle Coetzer, Josh Davey, Gordon Goudie, Majid Haq, Ross Lyons, Douglas Lockhart, Neil McCallum, Gregor Maiden, Preston Mommsen, Matthew Parker and Ryan Watson.

Scotland clinched the 2010 European Under-19 Cricket World Cup Qualifier with a convincing allround team display which saw them beat Jersey by 109 runs at Stormont

Cricinfo staff31-Jul-2010
Scorecard
Scotland clinched the 2010 European Under-19 Cricket World Cup Qualifier with a convincing allround team display which saw them beat Jersey by 109 runs at Stormont.Batting first, wicketkeeper Matthew Cross (33), Aman Bailwal (28), Peter Legget (26), Anjan Luthra (21), Sam Page (21), and Tom McBride (20) were the top scorers as they batted with purpose and intent, safe in the knowledge that it would have taken something extraordinary for Jersey to overhaul them, given their vastly superior run rate.Jersey’s fielding and catching has been a feature of their play all week, but today half chances went to ground, and tiredness crept in as the effects of five games in seven days took their toll on the young island side. Charles Perchard (3 for 54), Aidan McGuire (2 for 26), James Faudemer (2 for 30) and Ben Stevens (1 for 23) were best with the ball for Jersey as Scotland finished on 208 all out in 49.5 overs.The Jersey reply got off to a disastrous start when pinch-hitter William Falle was run out before the lunch break. Scotland captain Paddy Sadler’s impressive tournament continued as he bowled with great pace and control to finish with the impressive analysis of 4 for 22. Fellow opening bowler Stan Shillington (2 for 17) was also among the wickets, as were Scott McElnea (1 for 5), Aman Bailwal (1 for 18), and Peter Legget (1 for 34).Corey Bisson provided the only real semblance of resistance for Jersey in a fluent and entertaining 32. In the end Jersey were dismissed for 99 in 40.3 overs, leaving Scotland victors by 109 runs and worthy champions.

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Ireland made sure of second place and a vital Under-19 World Cup Qualifier place when they beat Netherlands by 82 runs at Waringstown.Batting first, Ireland posted a competitive 238 all out. They lost Jason van der Merwe and Adam Berry early, before the Donemana pairing of Andy McBrine (34) and Ryan Hunter (28) started a recovery. However when they and George Dockrell fell in quick succession, the game was in the balance at 91 for 5.However Shane Getkate (47) and his Malahide team mate Adam Coughlan (40) added 69 for the sixth wicket, to put Ireland back in control. Graeme McCarter provided some late fireworks as he hit 46 from just 40 balls to take Ireland to 238 in 46 overs. Philip van der Brandeler (4 for 30), Sebastiaan Braat (2 for 40), and Robert van der Harten (2 for 55) were the most successful with the ball for the Dutch.In reply, James Gruijters (29) continued his consistent batting form this week, and opener Sverre Loggers (20) gave his side a decent platform. However Barry McCarthy (2 for 21) and Getkate (2 for 39) both made sure wickets fell at regular intervals.It was the introduction of Dockrell which proved the downfall for the Netherlands, as the left-arm spinner showed just why he is so highly rated in cricketing circles. He finished with 5 for 34 as the Dutch finished on 156 all out in 38.4 overs. Ireland’s 82 run win confirmed their second place in the group, and they now go into the World Cup Qualifiers, hoping to reclaim the title they won last year in Canada.

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Guernsey won the battle of the bottom two teams when they inflicted a six-wicket defeat upon Denmark at the picturesque Laurevale ground.Batting first Denmark rallied from a precarious 58 for 6 to post a respectable 139 all out in 43.3 overs. The batting honours went to wicket-keeper Vijayasai Sasitharan who top scored with an undefeated 28. The Danish total was boosted by 23 extras. In the bowling department, Dale Mullen (3 for 30), Guy Batiste (2 for 4), Thomas Kirk (2 for 28), Andrew Hutchinson (2 for 34), and Glenn Le Tissier (1 for 12) were the wicket-takers for Guernsey.Chasing the modest total, Guernsey were given a perfect start when Adam Martel (21) and Isaac Damarell added fifty for the first wicket. Thomas Kirk made 28 from 30 balls, while Glen Le Tissier blasted 19 not out from 11 balls. It was Damarell who did the real damage, though, as he recorded a superb unbeaten 57 from just 63 balls to steer Guernsey to the win with six wickets and 24.3 overs to spare.

Hampshire opener Jimmy Adams and team-mate James Vince both plundered unbeaten centuries as Yorkshire took a pounding on the third day of the County Championship match at Scarborough

25-Aug-2010
ScorecardHampshire opener Jimmy Adams and team-mate James Vince both plundered unbeaten centuries as Yorkshire took a pounding on the third day of the County Championship match at Scarborough.It was a maiden century for talented teenager Vince, who is developing a batting style similar to that of Michael Vaughan, while it was the latest in a line of good scores by Adams against Yorkshire. He first made his mark at Headingley in 2006 by converting his maiden century into an unbeaten 168 as Hampshire successfully chased down a 404 target and he went on to add a further five half-centuries before his latest effort.By close of play, Adams (162) and 19-year-old Vince (122) had put on an unbroken 215 for the fourth wicket to propel Hampshire to 367 for 3 and give them a first innings lead of 45.Hampshire began the day on eight without loss and Yorkshire had Richard Pyrah in their side as replacement for Tim Bresnan, who had joined up with his England team-mates at Lord’s.Ajmal Shahzad and Steve Patterson shared the attack but did little to trouble either Adams or Michael Carberry and the other pace bowlers were generally ineffective. Yorkshire turned for a while to the spin of Adil Rashid and Adams helped himself to two fours in his first over to complete a half-century which contained 11 boundaries.The century stand was reached in 31 overs but just before lunch it was Pyrah who split the pair by having Carberry caught at second slip by Anthony McGrath for 40.Adams and Chris Benham continued to make life difficult for Yorkshire in the afternoon until Shahzad produced an almost unplayable delivery which hit the top of Benham’s off-stump and Patterson then responded at the other end by forcing Neil McKenzie to chop into his stumps without scoring.Any thoughts of a batting collapse quickly disappeared, however, as Vince joined Adams in a massive stand which saw Adams go to his century shortly before tea. He had faced 194 balls and struck 17 fours.McGrath, who bowled a brief spell of off-spin before the interval, reverted to his normal medium pace and when Adams was 108 he got a bottom edge which wicketkeeper Gerard Brophy could not quite hold on to.Vince’s 50 came off 64 balls with eight fours and he registered his career-best score when he cruised past 75. Adams had a couple of run-out scares at the non-striker’s end when returning to his crease and Vince survived a leaping attempt by Pyrah at backward point but otherwise the batsmen were in charge and Hampshire went calmly into the lead.Consecutive boundaries by Vince off Pyrah hurried him to his maiden century off 128 balls with 15 fours and he celebrated by waving his bat ecstatically in response to the ovation from his team-mates and the 4,700 crowd.Runs then continued to flow as the bowlers toiled without reward, with Hampshire holding the upper hand when the game goes into its final day.

A back stress fracture has ruled the allrounder Scott Styris out of New Zealand’s upcoming tour of Bangladesh

Cricinfo staff12-Sep-2010A back stress fracture has ruled the allrounder Scott Styris out of New Zealand’s upcoming tour of Bangladesh. Styris, who played in the tri-series in Sri Lanka last month, faces up to eight weeks of strength work for the lumbar problem before resuming training.”I was looking forward to the Bangladesh tour and am disappointed to be unavailable,” Styris said. “I’m aiming to be ready for action by the start of the Indian series [in India in November]. Of course this decision will be made along with the New Zealand Cricket medical team.”Styris, 35, remains a key figure in the country’s limited-overs teams and will hope to stay in contention for the World Cup squad early next year. The team’s medical staff hopes to start him on a bowling plan in the middle of October. New Zealand leave for Bangladesh at the end of the month.New Zealand leave for Bangladesh at the end of the month to prepare for five one-day internationals. Martin Guptill has been dropped from the squad and will tour Zimbabwe with the A team instead after being told by the selectors to regain his form. Jesse Ryder is back from an elbow injury, which ruled him out of the Sri Lanka tri-series, while Hamish Bennett, the uncapped fast bowler from Canterbury, is also in the 15-match outfit.”Hamish has been included in the squad on the back of a solid NZA tour and multiple successful domestic seasons,” the coach Mark Greatbatch said. “He is an exciting fast bowler and we are sure he will make the most of this opportunity.”New Zealand squad Daniel Vettori (capt), Hamish Bennett, Grant Elliott, Brendon McCullum (wk), Nathan McCullum, Andy McKay, Kyle Mills, Jesse Ryder, Aaron Redmond, Tim Southee, Shanan Stewart, Ross Taylor, Daryl Tuffey, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson.Itinerary

1st ODI, 5 October, Mirpur

2nd ODI, 8 October, Mirpur

3rd ODI, 11 October, Mirpur

4th ODI, 14 October, Mirpur

5th ODI, 17 October, Mirpur

Kevin Pietersen, the England batsman, has said England will start as “underdogs” in the Ashes in Australia

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Oct-2010Kevin Pietersen, the England batsman, has said England will start as “underdogs” in the Ashes in Australia but the run of successes since regaining the urn last year has given his team a better chance compared to the last time they were there, when they suffered a 5-0 thrashing. England haven’t won an Ashes series in Australia since 1986-87.”We are definitely underdogs because Australia in Australia are an incredible cricket team,” Pietersen said in Durban. He’s in South Africa to represent the domestic side Dolphins in two first-class games, an experience, he said, should help him regain his form. Pietersen hasn’t scored a century in 26 innings and in a low-scoring series against Pakistan, which England won 3-1, he averaged 23.33 in four Tests.”It was certainly the toughest conditions I have played in during the six summers I have spent playing Test cricket in England,” he said. “There weren’t too many batsmen who averaged 20 or 30 at the top of the order from either side.”I haven’t got as many runs as I could have possibly got in the last couple of months and [in South Africa] there is a chance for me to play on some good wickets and against the Kookaburra ball.”I am out here now to try to put things right, to spend some time in the middle and work a lot harder than I have worked before, so that I am in the best nick possible come the Ashes tour.”The England team recently underwent a bonding exercise at a boot-camp in Bavaria, Germany. “I think we have got a really good squad and it is a squad that has matured a lot. It has become a really tight unit, all the guys get on well and when the going gets tough, as I know it does when you tour Australia, we have a unit that will stand together and pull through,” Pietersen said. “We have just had a camp in Germany and the team spirit and bonding was amazing on what was quite a tough trip mentally and physically.”

“Can we start our summer now?” Michael Clarke asked the question after Australia had ended a seven-match losing streak with an eight-wicket win over a switched-off Sri Lanka at the Gabba

Peter English at the Gabba07-Nov-2010″Can we start our summer now?” Michael Clarke, the stand-in captain, asked the question after Australia had ended a seven-match losing streak with an eight-wicket win over a switched-off Sri Lanka at the Gabba.Australia’s international summer usually opens in Brisbane with the first Test, but this three-game one-day series was squeezed in, with organisers hoping it would spark the Ashes summer. Instead it resulted in the home side falling to three defeats in a week in front of tiny crowds, including only 9037 for the dead rubber.Clarke’s half-century to finish off the contest and strong performances from Clint McKay and Mitchell Starc improved the local moods. McKay grabbed career-best figures of 5 for 33 and Starc impressed in his second ODI with 4 for 27 as Sri Lanka were dismissed for 115.”It will kick-start our summer along nicely with the Ashes coming up, then the one-dayers before the World Cup,” McKay said. “It’s the first step in the right direction to make sure we play some good cricket all summer.”The win was Australia’s first in all forms of the game since July and McKay said it was “a bit of a relief”. “But with the belief we have in the group at the moment, we knew we weren’t too far away,” McKay said. “We had been playing good cricket at times but just hadn’t come away with the win.”Starc is only 20 but showed he was one to watch and easily out-bowled Mitchell Johnson, the side’s other left-arm fast man. “He hasn’t stopped smiling,” McKay said of Starc. “He bowled beautifully tonight and he’s a great one for the future.”There’s a lot of young quicks coming through and Mitch put his hand up tonight. He bowled with good pace and had it swinging around a bit and he’s going to be one to watch out for.”

Cricket Kenya has launched a new logo and identity for the organisation to “reflect a new era for the sport in the country” according to board chief executive Tom Sears

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Dec-2010Cricket Kenya has launched a new logo and identity for the organisation to “reflect a new era for the sport in the country” according to board chief executive Tom Sears.”The new identity retains all the heritage and core elements of the previous logo but is a more dynamic and modern image mirroring the organisation’s approach to the challenges that lie ahead,” waxed Sears. “The new logo will feature on all national team’s playing uniforms and will be first seen worn by the Kenya Women’s team in the Pepsi ICC Africa qualifying event for the women’s World Cup being staged in Nairobi later this month.”We are delighted with the new look and feel it represents Cricket Kenya strongly. The feedback we have had so far has been excellent.’The design was done by a Delhi-based company who were briefed to create something “contagious”.

South Africa plan on making sure they get enough runs on the board to avoid losing, and only then will think about setting India a target

Firdose Moonda at Newlands04-Jan-2011South Africa are not going to come out with all guns blazing on day four of the deciding Test match against India in Cape Town. “The first thing we need to do is make sure we have enough runs so that we don’t lose the match,” Dale Steyn said at the end of play on day three. “Then, we will think about setting a target.”It may seem like a negative, safety-first approach, but South Africa don’t want to risk leaving India with a gettable target on the last day of the match. The highest target chased successfully at Newlands was 331, which Australia managed in March 2002. It was achieved by an Australia at their peak, but South Africa will be mindful of the number. They still have more than 250 runs to score before they get there.They’ve already lost the wickets of Graeme Smith and nightwatchman Paul Harris, but Steyn does not think that will hamper their progress too much. “Losing Graeme was big, but Harro did his job. He made sure Hashim [Amla] only faced four balls instead of three overs.”It will mean that a lot will rest on South Africa’s batting order, particularly the two men currently occupying the crease, Alviro Petersen and Amla. Petersen has not yet done enough to cement his place as Smith’s opening partner, but this gives him the perfect opportunity to do so. Besides the 77 he scored in Centurion, he has had three starts but has not been able to push on. If he can capitalise on this situation, he will go a long way to putting down roots in the batting line-up for some time to comeAmla had a disappointing Test in Durban but scored an aggressive 59 in the first innings at Newlands, before succumbing to a self-described “sugar rush”. He is expected to adopt a more structured strategy in the second knock, especially because of the injury sustained to Jacques Kallis, who has a contusion near his rib and will only bat if necessary. That means Ashwell Prince will also come under the spotlight. He is renowned for his ability to perform under pressure and grind out runs when needed, although South Africa will not want to depend on that to put themselves in a position of advantage.If the Australia chase is taken out of the equation, the next highest successfully chase is 211, by South Africa against India in 2007. That bit of history may mean nothing now, because the India team on the current tour is more competitive away from home than the team from 2007. That may be why South Africa are talking more like they are prepared to play for a draw than a win.

A round-up of the second day of the second round of the Regional Four Day Competition

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Feb-2011The game between Combined Campuses and Colleges and Trinidad & Tobago is headed for an early finish after 13 wickets tumbled on the second day in Trinidad. Kevin McClean and Raymon Reifer shared eight wickets between them as T&T lurched to 164. Daren Ganga’s 32 was the highest score and there were a couple of other twenties, but there were also six single-digit scores. CC&C conceded 25 extras, and that could prove crucial in this low-scoring match. They also managed to lose five second-innings wickets for 135, despite Kyle Corbin’s half-century, and lead only by 102 with not much batting left.Jade Dernbach’s five wickets helped England Lions claw their way back on the second day against Barbados at the Kensington Oval, after big hundreds from Kirk Edwards and Ryan Hinds had raised hopes of a total in excess of 600. Edwards and Hinds had carried on from the first day, putting on another 96 runs after having added 176 earlier. But Dernbach finally ended their marathon stand, having Edwards caught behind and bowling Hinds. The other batsmen could not do much after that, apart from Kyle Hope (41). Dernbach and left-arm spinner Danny Briggs brought an end to the Barbados innings at 471. Adam Lyth led with an unbeaten 48 as Lions ended on 101 for 1.Rain washed out the second day’s play between Windward Islands and Jamaica in Grenada, and also between Guyana and Leeward Islands in Georgetown.