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Zimbabwe defeat Kenya in LG Cup lung opener

They are calling this the African Safari -- a quadrangular one day tournament involving Zimbabwe, Kenya, and South Africa, from the African continent. And India -- which appears to have, under the aegis of the board, embarked on a missionary policy of "spreading cricket around the globe" -- making up the fourth. As honorary Africans, perhaps?

Kenya and Zimbabwe had, prior to this, met in one day competitions nine times -- with Kenya yet to get on the winning side of the ledger. Sandeep Patil, now coaching the Kenyans, said before the start that while he was aware of the team's lack of preparation (the Kenyans have played no serious cricket, nor even had a proper coaching camp, since the World Cup) and its underdog status, he wasn't about to discount the possibility of the side pulling off an upset or three.

If Kenya are to do that, to put one over the three full ICC nations, it will need to rely on its batting strength. In fact, if precedent were anything to judge by, the Nairobi Gymkhana ground would appear to suit the Kenyan array of strokeplayers. It is a small ground, with a very quick outfield, and it has seen more than its share of huge scores.

The lowest total made on this ground, to date, was 257 in the Bangladesh versus Zimbabwe game in 1997. At the other end of the scale, Shahid Afridi with his record-busting 102 off 37 deliveries powered Pakistan to 371 against Sri Lanka in 1996, at this venue.

It would, though, come as a surprise if such scores are recorded during this tournament. The wicket is hard, but with a low bounce. Even as early as the first day of the tournament, there was lots of turn for the spinners, allied to the bogey of uncertain bounce. Besides, if the first game is any indication, the ball doesn't come on to the bat easily off the deck. This brings up a nice little problem for the batsmen -- given the lack of pace in the pitch, the front foot seems the place to be; but given the fact that the ball doesn't come on, chances are that a tight set field will stem the flow of runs, since the scope for innovation off the front foot is rather restricted.

Zimbabwe, unlike Kenya, was shocked enough by recent failures to put the team into a ten-day "concentration camp" -- the focus being on mental application (something that Alistair Campbell admitted has been missing in recent games) and on bowling, which has tended to stray too much for comfort lately.

The contest -- between a team waking out of its post-World Cup siesta and another that has been playing and training hard -- was thus expected to be one sided. As it happened, it was -- till Zimbabwe, looking to have the game covered, decided to inject some artificial drama right at the end.

Kenya started off well enough. Maurice Odumbe, who patterns his swagger on that of Viv Richards, came back as captain, replacing Asif Karim (who had replaced Odumbe himself after the 1996 World Cup), lost the toss, and still got to do what he wanted -- which is, bat first.

Despite losing Kennedy Otieno in the 8th over -- the opener appeared intent on playing from the top of the crease, going neither forward nor back and, as a result, keeping the slips in business with a stream of edges before Murray Goodwin finally snapped one up -- the Kenyan innings seemed to be on track when Steve Tikolo and Ravindu Shah produced a fine second wicket partnership.

Actually, credit belongs entirely to Shah, who played with panache, off the front foot and on either side of the wicekt, blasting 11 fours in a 68-ball 50 before inexplicably being afflicted with a case of the slows. At the other end, Tikolo appeared to have set his mind on anchoring -- but in the process, was becalmed for long stretches of time, against tight Zimbabwe fielding and unspectacular bowling.

Thus Kenya, which seemed on track at 59/1 at the end of 15 overs, crawled to just 114/1 at the end of 30. The century partnership for the second wicket came up in the 33rd over with a single, and the partnership ended with a run out off the same stroke as Tikolo went for the second, Shah responded, then sent him back too late to beat the throw to the keeper's end.

From then on, it was pure panic. Zimbabwe precipitated it by using a succession of bowlers who ranged from slow to slower still, with even skipper Alistair Campbell deciding to try some amateur off spin. And the Kenyans obliged by trying to slog everything across the line off the front foot -- which, on a pitch where the ball is not coming on, spells disaster, the tendency being to hit too soon and too hard, and spoon it up to put the fielders square on either side of the wicket in business. From the reasonable position of 132/2 at the end of 35 overs, Kenya slipped and slithered to 199/8 in 50, adding just 67 runs off the last 15 overs.

Kenya's only hope was for the slower bowlers to create some confusion in the Zimbabwe ranks. Odoyo, who comes across as a nippy, aggressive medium fast bowler (like most Kenyans in the side, a superb athlete with a lovely, flowing action), started things off well by getting Grant Flower LBW early, beating him for pace in the air and movement off the deck to trap the batsman in front. Then the right arm medium pacer, Josephat Ababu (again, the easy, athletic action, fluid delivery, not much pace but a fullish length and line and some seam movement) had Johnson cutting too early outside off and dragging the bowler's first ball in international cricket onto the stumps. Maurice Odumbe then brought himself in and, going round the wicket to the left-hander, gave an indication of things to come later in this tournament when he got enormous turn and bounce to have Alistair Campbell, who looked good against the seamers, in all kinds of trouble. Campbell's misery against the turning ball was shortlived, Odumbe drawing him forward and beating him for flight and turn for a good stumping by Otieno.

The progression tells the tale -- after 20 overs, Zimbabwe had made 77/3, against the 72/1 recorded by Kenya in its first innings. That Zimbabwe went on to win in convincing style from there indicates two things: first, that Kenya had muffed a very good start with the bat and second, that in the field it had failed to maintain the pressure after clawing its way back with the ball. Kenya just didn't have the bowlers to exploit the conditions, and Goodwin and Flower shut the door on them with some clinical batting, keeping the good deliveries out and seizing on the gimme balls the Kenyan bowlers kept producing at regular intervals. With just 19 runs to go, Andy Flower capped a fine half century by losing his patience and slapping an off spinner from Tikolo to mid on -- but by then, only one result seemed possible in the game.

The Zimbabweans had other ideas, though. Whittall played a needless heave to put square leg in business. Then Stuart Carlisle got into a godawful tangle against Tikolo's off spin (the way he was bowling -- 9-3-22-3) made you wish he had been tried ahead of Sheikh) and edged behind, the third umpire being called in to adjudicate on this one. Sensing something magical happening, the Kenyans surrounded new man Andrew Blignaut with four round the bat, and Hitesh Modi at silly point took a brilliant reflexive catch, Tikolo the successful bowler yet again. At the end of that particular over, Zimbabwe were 197/7 needing three in the last over -- talk of drama.

That set the stage for a dramatic final over, Goodwin Thomas Odoyo and, thanks to a misfield off the second ball (the fielder at mid on dived and palmed the ball towards long off), Zimbabwe went through to win by three wickets, Goodwin unbeaten on a fine 76.

Kenya must have been left rueing its shoddy batting in the final phase of the innings, which left it just that bit short of a winning total. However, despite the artificial drama at the death, Zimbabwe were always going to win this one once it had done well to restrict the home team to under 200.

Meanwhile, it is India's turn, tomorrow, to take on Hansie Cronje's South Africans. Cronje has an incredible record as captain -- 86 wins in 119 outings, against just 28 defeats -- and he will be looking to build further on that. India are minus Tendulkar, but in Toronto recently, the side showed under Saurav Ganguly that it can put its head down and play good cricket in the absence of their star batsmen (ironically, the marketing guys continue to use Tendulkar's name to sell this tournament, with the catchline "Sachin takes India big-game hunting in Africa"). And the side does have one ace to play -- Sunil Joshi and Nikhil Chopra, on this track, will be a handful for any batsman.

Be interesting to see just how the South Africans cope.

Meanwhile, India's administrative fiascos continue. The board, apparently too busy with its own internal politics to pay heed to the unimportant matters, omitted to appoint a manager for the side. Then it suddenly woke up and named Vikrambhai Patel, secretary of the Gujarat Cricket Association, to do the job.

This was on the 22nd. e manager thus was named on the 22nd. manager of team for Nairobi AHMEDABAD, SEPT. 22. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appointed Vikrambhai Patel as manager of the Indian cricket team for the four-nation tournament in Nairobi from September 25 to October 3. Patel, who is the secretary of the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA), was today informed of the decision by the BCCI, after the annual general meeting in Jaipur. Patel will join the Indian cricket team tomorrow, according to a GCA release here. 12:14 PM 09/25/1999 Asif Karim gone, Maurice Odumbe back as captain, led in the 1996 wo5ld cup team... kenya's version of viv richards, the swagger patterned on the king who is his idol... Completely dry, flat pitch, low bouncing track with turn on it... kind of track where you go on the front foot early on... ball not quite coming on... quicks could get pace in the air, but not much joy off the wicket... Alistair Campbell wins the toss and figures on chasing, hoping to know what the target is they are chasing... plus, in the hope of exploiting whatever life there is... ten day conditioning camp, to get mental strength and work on the bowling.... 12:47 PM 09/25/1999 played ten, won 0 against Zim, Kenya... opening bowler, johnson's partner, reasonably nippy, gets the ball to go away, 6th over, seamed one away, had otieno fishing, campbell at slip couldnt get down low enough and quick enough to take it... 8th over, does it again and again, the chance just not taken.... slip fielder a bit back for such a pitch... 9th over, and otieno finally goes, straight ball on off, otieno shaping to play on the on, squared up, thick edge and a good take by goodwin at second slip. Tikolo comes in and plays with panache... superb play on either side of the wicekt, full length is not the place to bowl, on a track where teh batsman is going to go on the front foot early.... ravindu shah playing very well particularly off the back foot... high scoring ground, 257 bangla vs zim in 1997 lowest, pak vs lanka game has recorded 371 here... 1996, afrdid 102 off 37 balls... sparkling 50 by shah, playing shots all round the wicket after a hesitant start,,, 53 in 61 balls with 11 fours.... tikolo promptly droppin anchor.... 33rd over, century partnership with the first run, yes no confusion and tikolo, who was in too much of a shell, run out trying for the second ond... shah called,t hen decided against, tikolo three quarter down thet rack and too late to get back... slow innings... guy whittall, 34th over, shah trying to hit over the top back down the track, whittall sticks a hand out to take a very good return catch. 71 off 100. no fours after reaching 50. got bogged down along with otieno. odumbe down the track, 42nd over, long way down the track, campbell the bowler, otieno swings hard across the line... umpire gives the decision, with the batsman about four feet down the track.... odoyo smacks a six straight against campbell, next one short, he tries to pull and finds deep midwicket... hits off the top edge, dragging it around... 4:04 PM 09/25/1999 Flower on the back foot, Odoyo beats him with pace and movement in off the seam, lbw, 18/17 in the 6th over. 7th ocver, bowler's first ball in odis, over the wicket to johnson, angling outside, johnson cuts without moving his feet, and drags it back onot the stumps... josephat ababu, right arm medium, making his debut 6:04 PM 09/25/1999 campbell's impatience, odumbe bowling well, his right arm off spin from around the wicket to the left hander, lots of bounce and turn, campbell struggling around line of off, goes down the track, beaten for turn and flight and stumped by otieno... 72/3 in the 19th over

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