Story :: Associate Nations Cup :: Afghanistan Team Preview Out ::

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

Thanks Will Correct It...

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

Welcome to the yet another episode of the Road To Associate Nations. We yesterday saw the Group A Giants, the Ireland Cricket Team. Here we are today with the ex-giants the Kenyans.

Team Name : Kenya
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Kenya, who where once a heavy weight minnows succumbed due to some political pressure as well as insufficient funds after 2003 World Cup. In 2003 World Cup, Kenya Qualified For Semi's and it was a tournament which they will never forget. Steve Tikolo really led the team well. In the Semi's they where tied up against the Indians and that was their end of the tournament.

Kenya had their rebuild period after 2005 where the player's agreed to end the strike and they started receiving some funds through sponsorships. Kenya Cricket Association was soon renamed and formed as Cricket Kenya.

With Steve Tikolo stepping down as captain, Maurice Ouma took over. Since Kenya's return to cricketing world, they have just been able to achieve the winning status of Division A in 2007 and coming 4th in the ICC T20 World Qualifier of 2008.

Now let's look at the 14 men squad of the Kenyan's


3rd most experienced side after Ireland and Zimbabwe.

Let's look at their side and know their players well so that we know whom to expect and who will can be their hero.

Player | Description

|Maurice Ouma is an opening batsman who is also Kenya's reserve wicketkeeper. He is currently the captain of their side.

|Undeterred, Kamande went away and reinvented himself as an offspinner, and after initial scepticism he showed that he was worth his place in that role, and he is now almost an allrounder.
Photo Not Available|Shem , is an upcoming 20 year old right arm offbreak bowler. Although he has just taken 3 wickets in 4 matches he economy rate is quite impressive at 5.90

|Alex Obanda, a top-order strokemaker who is particular strong through the off side, he has been considered one of the most promising young batsmen for some time.

|Collins Obuya hit the headlines as a legspinning allrounder in the 2003 World Cup during Kenya's astonishing march to the semi-finals, where he picked up 13 wickets at 28.76, including 5 for 24 in the victory over Sri Lanka at Nairobi. He then after Kenya's rise after 2005 specialized in batting and is now a batsman.

|David Obuya is brother of Collins Obuya.He averages 42 in T20i and Kenya depends a lot on him for batting.

|Nehemiah Odhiambo is a Right Arm Medium, who has impressed everyone with great offcutters. He has taken 9 T20i wickets at an average of 15 and economy rate of 8. He is quite handy with bat to and some people count him as an all rounder.

|It looked as if Kenyan seamer Lameck Onyango was destined to be one of international cricket's less successful performers. In five one-day internationals between 1995-96 and 2002 he took one wicket for 130, all the while conceding runs at the startling rate of 9.62 per over.He now is an lower order tail ender who is mostly used with bat and hardly given an over to bowl

|Elijah Otieno is an accurate medium-pace bowler who gets bounce from the pitch. He has not played a single T20i and has all the potential to make debut for his side after some great performances in Logan cup.

| 20 year old Rakep Patel, joined Kenya in 2007 and played against the Kenyan's select XI. He is an off break bowler who comes more then handy with the bat. He is a key player for Kenya as he can stabilize an inning

|Tony Suji, younger brother of Martin, is an allrounder who can count himself fortunate to have had a prolonged run in the Kenyan side without ever coming up with the goods

|It is a measure of his ability and standing that in many people's eyes Steve Tikolo has epitomised Kenyan cricket for more than a decade. His whole approach to the game has a Caribbean flavour to it. A middle-order batsman who relies on his eye as much as technique and who can attack or defend as the situation demands, he possesses a wide range of strokes, but when he is in full flow he can be a punishing player at any level. His bowling has gone from being medium-pace to a Chris Gayle-like gentle offspin, seemingly innocuous but deceptively effective in the one-day game

|Left-arm spinner Hiren Varaiya was one of a handful of young players given a chance by selectors in 2006 and he rose to the challenge, taking a wicket with his first ball on debut against Canada. He struggled in one outing against Bangladesh but made amends with solid performances against other Associates and quickly established himself in the side with a string of good performances. He varies his pace intelligently, holding the odd ball back and like all bowlers of his kind in one-dayers, he forces the batsmen to play shots and so take risks.

So that where players from Kenya. There are lot of them who are new and lot of young talent who will be excited about this tournament. Steve Tikolo said " I am happy ICC have focused on Associates well and this tournament will be learning experience for the boys."


So that's it from this second episode and we will back with another team

 

[Varun]

Good luck for your story!

 

[Mihir Doshi]

Updates are gettin better and better Kiu!!

 

[Prithvi]

Good update there, but Still more information on the players (copy paste some lines from cricinfo, wiki but credit them) could have made it complete!

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

You are right Wiki and Cricinfo are my sources but not exactly copy pasted.

Have written my own things to. Although i must credit them and will do that from next time!!

 

[Prithvi]

Doing that will fetch up some solid stuff to read).

 

[CG123]

Good start mate.

@ Binnu - I actually think that amount of writing is fine, you don't want to overdo it with the team previews as you have quite a few to do.

I'm not sure if you can, but if possible I'd change the font INSIDE the table of the player descriptions.
Also I'd try and make all the images of the players the same size, which would just involve resizing a couple.

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

Thanks Callum and Binnu for being my support(I have clicked the thanked button too)I will follow some suggestion you have said

 

[Gorro_124]

Zimbabwe and Kenya have a strong chance here!!

 

[Mihir Doshi]

Zimbabwe and Kenya have a strong chance here!!

What about Ireland?

 

[just_cricket]

Personally I think presentation is fine. Kenya have a decent chance here, too.
Good luck!

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

Welcome guys after a big gap to this show of Road To Associate Nations Cup. We have seen teams like Ireland and Kenya.

Today its time for the newest and most exciting team Afghanistan as well as Zimbabwe.(Doing it quick so that we can start the tournament but will not miss out any players.)

First we start of with the Afghanistan team who have impressed every one with bowl but not with bat. They did well in ICC T20 Qualifier also they chased down a dramatic 400+ runs. Afghanistan is always considered and have come into news with the amount of terrorism in their country but they have made news this time for a good cause and we might just see a new Cricketing nation coming up.

About Of Afghanistan, they have won Division 4 and 5 in 2008 and won Division 3 in 2009. They are soon to be playing Pakistan and Australia in the mid of 2011.

Let's take a look at their squad.

So there are familiar names after watching T20 World Championship in 2010. Noor Ali , Karim Sadiq, Nowroz Mangal etc are names that mostly everyone recognizes these days.

Let's look at their team in better way.

Player Name | Description

| Nowroz Mangal a right hand batsman who bowls some off break and captains the side well. He has a huge role not only as captain but also as a Bowler.

|Asghar Stanikzai is a good lower order batsman who bats well and hit's some huge shot's if needed. He some times bowls some gentle medium fast bowls which come more then handy.

|Dawlat Ahmadzai is a Right Hand Medium who usually opens the bowling for Afghanistan.He is new in the side and will take some time before the world knows more about it.

|Hamid Hasan is a right hand medium who is an important member of Afghanistan side. He is the first player to play at Lords from Afghanistan and took 1 for 23 for MCC.

|Karim Sadiq is 26 year's old Right Hand Batsman who opens and is some what a village style cricketer with his selection over shots.

|Mirwais Ashraf is the Pace Spearhead along with team mate Shapoor Zadran. He has shown his bowling greats in the Final where Afghanistan won chasing 400+ runs.

|Mohammad Nabi, the all rounder from Afghanistan side. He has shown some great batting display when his side was chasing a mammoth 400+ score in List A. He debuted first for MCC.

|Mohammad Shahzad is the youngest player in the side and has already proved his right to be in the playing XI by playing some great innings in Intercontinental Cup.

|Nasratullah is an Off Break Bowler who has not played much, just 1 List A match to be precise.

|Noor Ali is a Right Hand Opening Batsman who made his name when he scored his highest runs in T20i on debut by scoring 50 against the mighty Indians. He is wished to perform well in each and every match.

|Raees Ahmadzai is all set Retire after this Associate Nations Cup in order to take up coaching for younger generation. He is just 25 years so is that a good decision will be an interesting choice.

|All rounder who has not made justice to his potential. Averages 14 with bat and 35 with bowl.

|Shafiqullah is their wicket keeper and has not done great with bat but with wicket keeping gloves he has done good.

|Great Left Arm Bowler who has done great with bowl for his country. He is very much bowler dependent on.

That is the great Afghanistan side we will be back after break and will see the Zimbabwean Side.

​

 

[Mihir Doshi]

Afghanistan Really Do Look Danger

 

[CG123]

Afghanistan is a side you always want to see do well in terms of sports, because of the problems in their country.
Good to luck to them.
I'm picking Mohammad Nabi to perform well for them.