Kenya in Zimbabwe - Preview

For years now, Zimbabwe have been in a unique position in world cricket. Other countries have almost always been either much stronger or much weaker. There have been few contests where Zimbabwe have not been either underdogs, against senior Test-playing nations, or strong favourites, against Bangladesh and non-Test-playing nations. Occasionally they have upset the odds and beaten a senior side; only once, in an unofficial match, have they lost to a junior nation.

That one occasion was against Kenya, almost ten years ago. Zimbabwe, having just toured India for the first time in March 1993 for a Test match and three one-day internationals, stopped off to play Kenya on the way home. Mentally exhausted, they lost, but never since then have they lost to a non-Test nation.

Some local critics, disgusted at Zimbabwe's string of defeats at the hands of Pakistan, have suggested that Zimbabwe will lose to Kenya in the coming three-match series. Pakistan, though, were extremely strong and almost at full strength, while Zimbabwe had a number of key players missing.

Probably Zimbabwe's greater experience will be enough for them to win, probably all three matches. Certainly after their recent experiences Zimbabwe are unlikely to be complacent and all too aware of what their critics are saying. They will feel that the best way to vindicate themselves, as much as they can, will be to beat Kenya handsomely and will be determined to do it. They should at least have Douglas Hondo and Travis Friend back in their ranks, although Heath Streak is still not fit and Andy Blignaut is unlikely to be either.

It should be a high-scoring series, as both sides are stronger in batting than in bowling. When Kenya played Zimbabwe A in Kenya a year back, the Kenyan policy was to bat first if possible, and then give the bowling the full Gilchrist - launching a daring assault on the bowlers to rack up as high a total as possible. It worked as a surprise tactic, but by the end of the tour the Zimbabweans were coming to terms with it.

The reason for this tactic was that Kenya acknowledged the weakness of their bowling and figured out that the best way to take pressure off their meagre attack and put it on the batting side was to run up totals of well over 300. It was a good plan, but they do not seem to have had the audacity since to try it out when playing one-day internationals against Test-playing countries. They might decide to give it a go against Zimbabwe now, though, as our bowling is not currently of the standard of senior Test-playing teams, and if they do it will be exciting.

Kenya's batting, though, is neither as strong nor as experienced as Pakistan's. A full-blooded assault might work if it takes our players by surprise, and since Alistair Campbell himself was on that tour, he should be prepared for the possibility.

The Kenyan captain is Steve Tikolo, a quiet courteous man who is perhaps not quite, as has been suggested, the best batsman in the world not to have played Test cricket - a couple of highly talented Australians have been unable to break into their Test team - but is still a high-quality player who would probably win a place in any Test team except for Australia. Former captain Maurice Odumbe is another class act with the bat, and these two have plenty of experience.

Both are now into their thirties, and if Kenya do gain Test status in the near future they will not have long to enjoy it. There is pressure to fast-track Kenya into Test cricket after the World Cup, but if that happens it is sadly likely that they will suffer the same fate as Bangladesh, hammered by all-comers simply because they have not been properly prepared for it.

Much as I wish Kenya success (although not against Zimbabwe!), I feel that they should not play Test cricket for several years because they would devalue it. Zimbabwe began Test cricket better than any newcomer except possibly Pakistan because of a long unbroken history of first-class cricket. We began with at least half the team well-grounded enough in the longer game to succeed. Bangladesh didn't have that experience, and that omission speaks for itself in their sad record since gaining Test status. The same would happen to Kenya.

Both these countries should have been prepared properly for Test cricket, as Zimbabwe were, and that should have happened several years ago. Both the ICC and the boards of these countries appear to have been at fault. Tour programmes should have been set up, as they were for Zimbabwe in our `limbo' years from 1980 to 1992, so that cricketers from those countries could have played A sides from Test-playing countries home and away, especially in the longer version of the game.

The ICC should have organized that, but since they didn't, the home boards of those countries should have pressed for it far harder than they appear to have done. Kenya acknowledge their need for more competition against Test-playing countries, but it seems they do not recognize their need for first-class cricket - I feel that at least two first-class matches were needed on this current tour against Zimbabwe A as well as the three one-day internationals. Due to this lack, my feeling is that Kenya should wait for Test status until they have proved themselves in the longer form of the game. Sadly, that would be too long for class players like Tikolo and Odumbe.

Kenya have several other talented and experienced - but at one-day level only - batsmen in wicket-keeper Kennedy Obuya, opener Ravindu Shah and Hitesh Modi. Coach Sandeep Patil also speaks highly of youngster Maurice Ouma, who can also keep wicket. The bowling is much thinner, and the key figure is the experienced seamer Martin Suji. Another player with great potential is all-rounder Thomas Odoyo, who is the team's vice-captain.

Zimbabwe's bowlers will have a chance to make amends after their mauling by Pakistan, but they should not expect too many favours from the aggressive Kenyans. Lapses in line and length are likely to receive appropriate punishment. It may be that again the onus will be on Zimbabwe's batsmen to take command of a match, and once more the Flower brothers will play the crucial role here. One can hardly bear to contemplate the plight of the Zimbabwe team without them, but that day might come all too soon. The ongoing situation in the country has quiet a number of players considering their futures, especially those skilful enough to win lucrative contracts abroad.

It may be that Kenya will give Zimbabwe a closer contest than would be possible if any senior Test-playing country were the opposition. But my feeling is that the extra experience of the Zimbabweans will be a telling factor, although they will not have everything their own way. Things could be different if the selectors decide to experiment with too many young players as a trial for the World Cup, but the players themselves will want the strongest team available. Defeat by Kenya would be a humiliating setback.