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| March 12, 2007 | Monday | Safar 22, 1428 |
Pen-sketches of Kenya World Cup squad
BRIDGETOWN, March 11: Pen pix of Kenya's World Cup squad: Steve Tikolo (RHB/RM/captain). Age: 35. ODI appearances: 91. Debut: v India, Cuttack, Feb 18, 1996. He has been Kenya's main batsman for the last 10 years who two centuries. Leads the team that stunned the cricket world by reaching the semi-finals of the previous World Cup in South Africa in 2003.
Career: 2452 runs (ave 29.90), HS 111, 2 100s, 18 50s, 46 catches, 64 wkts (ave 32.04), BB 4-41, 4w 1.
Thomas Odoyo (RHB/RM). Age: 28. ODI appearances: 90. Debut: v India, Cuttack, Feb 18 1996. Like his captain, the all-rounder has also been a regular since making his debut as a 17-year-old in the 1996 World Cup. His powerful hitting and seam bowling earned him the nickname of 'the black Botham'. Need three wickets to reach the 100 mark.
Career: 1677 runs (ave 24.30), HS 84, 6 50s, 23 catches, 97 wkts (ave 31.08), BB 4-25, 4w 4.
Rajesh Bhudia (RHB/RM). Age: 22. Uncapped. The India-born Bhudia was selected for the World Cup for his all-round skills despite not having played a One-day International so far. Has scored 29 runs and taken five wickets in three first-class matches.
Jimmy Kamande (RHB/OB). Age: 28. ODI appearances: 39. Debut: v Zimbabwe, Taunton, May 15, 1999. The off-spinner made his debut at the 1999 World Cup before being hauled up for a suspect action. He returned determined to make his mark as an all-rounder.
Career: 352 runs (ave 14.08), HS 68, 1 50, 8 catches, 17 wkts (ave 47.35), BB 3-32.
Tanmay Mishra (RHB/RM). Age: 20. ODI appearances: 25. Debut: v Zimbabwe, Bulawayo, Feb 25 2006. The Mumbai-born all-rounder was one of the many young faces brought into the Kenyan side in 2006 as the selectors wanted to build a young team. He is also an athletic fielder.
Career: 661 runs (ave 33.05), HS 66, 3 50s, 11 catches.
Collins Obuya (RHB/LB). Age: 25. ODI appearances: 49. Debut: v West Indies, Nairobi, Aug 15, 2001. The leg-spinner was Kenya's hero at the last World Cup where he picked up 13 wickets, including an incredible 5-24 against Sri Lanka, to lift his team into the semi-finals. It earned him a one-year contract with English county Warwickshire but he has not lived up to his potential since.
Career: 567 runs (ave 17.18), HS 68, 1 50, 19 catches, 26 wkts (ave 46.26), BB 5-24, 4w 1.
David Obuya (RHB/WK). Age: 27. ODI appearances: 41. Debut: v West Indies, Nairobi, Aug 15, 2001. He is now the team's wicket-keeper after being understudy to his older brother Kennedy Otieno who kept wicket for Kenya since the 1996 World Cup. Obuya is also a hard-hitting batsman.
Career: 777 runs (ave 20.44), HS 93, 4 50s, 30 dismissals (26 catches and 4 stumpings).
Nehemiah Odhiambo (RHB/RM). Age: 23. ODI appearances: 16. Debut: v Zimbabwe, Bulawayo, Feb 25, 2006. The youngster may not make the first-choice eleven at the World Cup but his good fielding will be a boon for the team when he comes on as a reserve.
Career: 142 runs (15.77), HS 66, 1 50, 2 catches, 10 wkts (ave 49.10), BB 3-25.
Peter Ongondo (RHB/RFM). Age: 30. ODI appearances: 47. Debut: v South Africa, Nairobi, Sept 30, 1999. The fast-medium bowler will spearhead Kenya's attack after finishing as the leading wicket-taker at the World Cricket League for non-Test nations earlier this year.
Career: 294 runs 10.88), HS 36, 8 catches, 50 wkts (ave 26.32), BB 5-51, 4w 2.
Lameck Onyango (RHB/RM). Age: 33. ODI appearances: 9. Debut: v Sri Lanka, Kandy, March 6, 1996. A surprise inclusion for the World Cup. He started his career so badly as a seamer that he was asked to stop bowling and converted to a pinch-hitting batsman at the top of the order. It remains a surprise if he will bowl at the World Cup and where he will bat.
Career: 44 runs (Ave 11.00), HS 23, 1 catch, 9 wkts (ave 25.33), BB 3-37.
Maurice Ouma (RHB/WK). Age: 24. ODI appearances: 23. Debut: v India, Southampton, Sept 11, 2005. The opening batsman is also Kenya's reserve wicket-keeper.
Career: 384 runs (ave 17.45), HS 57, 1 50s, 13 dismissals (12 catches and 1 stumping),
Malhar Patel (RHB). Age: 23. ODI appearances: 3. Debut: v Pakistan, Edgbaston, Sept 14, 2004. Another surprise inclusion for the World Cup who made an inauspicious debut at the Champions Trophy in England when he was bowled first ball by Shahid Afridi.
Career: 40 runs (ave 13.33), HS 25.
Ravindu Shah (RHB). Age: 34. ODI appearances: 53. Debut: v Bangladesh, Hyderabad (India), May 17 1998. The veteran opener was once regarded as the best batsman outside the Test arena. He contributed handsomely to Kenya's march into the semi-finals of the last World Cup with two half-centuries. He made 46 in the semi-final against India.
Career: 1425 runs (ave 27.94), HS 113, 1 100, 11 50s, 16 catches.
Tony Suji (RHB/RM). Age: 31. ODI appearances: 53. Debut: v Pakistan, Nairobi, Oct 2, 1996. Remains a long-standing player for Kenya despite a moderate record both as batsman and bowler. Critics have wondered how he managed to get a World Cup berth at all.
Career: 472 runs (ave 13.48), HS 67, 1 50, 15 catches, 19 wkts (ave 58.63), BB 2-16.
Hiren Varaiya (RHB/SLA). Age: 22. ODI appearances: 15. Debut: v Canada, Toronto, Aug 5, 2006. The left-arm spinner was given a chance in 2006 when the selectors wanted to blood fresh talent and began with a wicket off his first ball against Canada.
Career: 21 runs (ave 21.00), HS 10, 5 catches, 24 wkts (ave 18.12), BB 4-25, 4w 1.—AFP
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