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 | | Monday, 15 April, 2002, 08:04 GMT 09:04 UK Preparing for the big boys  Tikolo: A winning start for Kenya's new captain Kenya came out on top in a competition organised to help cricket's minnows get ready for next year's World Cup. Neil Manthorp reports from Namibia for BBC Sport Online. The Six Nations tournament in Windhoek was a triumph for the game's lesser lights in far more ways than are immediately obvious. Six matches in eight days was a more intensive schedule than any of the world's 'senior' nations has yet had to endure, but the new professional regime adopted by Kenya saw them not only survive but win. Holland, Canada and the host nation remain strictly amateurs, but the tournament was supplemented by strong 'A' teams from Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, as well as Kenya. "It has been a most worthwhile exercise," said International Cricket Council chief executive Malcolm Speed, who watched the last five days of the tournament. "The players and the umpires have benefited enormously from the exposure, the quality of the competition and the way it was organized."
Former England batsman and South African coach, Bob Woolmer, was appointed by the ICC to take charge of their 'Programme of Excellence' in which Kenya, Namibia, Holland and Canada are provided with specialist coaches and expertise before the World Cup in South Africa. Both Woolmer and Speed vehemently deny that the ICC's motivation was a desire to avoid humiliatingly one-sided matches. Big hitting "People who say that such results are bad for cricket are getting a bit big for their boots," Woolmer says. "No player from Australia, South Africa, England or any other established country hasn't suffered a huge defeat in their time, and they've learned from them. Having said that, the idea is to help the smaller countries become competitive."
Apart from Kenya's success, there were other moments of magic for the connoisseur of underdog triumphs to savour during the tournament. On the first day of the tournament Holland's innings lay in tatters against Canada at 78-8 until their number 10 batsman, Edgar Schiferli, launched an astonishing assault on the bowling that saw him finish unbeaten on 89 from just 63 balls with eight sixes and four fours. He then claimed 4-35 to restrict the Canadians to 195 in reply to 211. The host nation, too, had their moments. Having bravely lost to Zimbabwe 'A' by seven runs and then fallen to the Canadians by two wickets in a last-ball thriller, Namibia finished the tournament in a blaze of glory by inflicting Kenya's solitary loss in the final round of matches. Competitive edge Adopting Dutchman Schiferli's never-say-never approach, Namibian number 11 Rudi van Vuuren belted the last ball of the match for six to pull off an remarkable triumph when all had seemed lost. "We can't hope to compete with a team like Australia in batting alone or bowling alone but we can play the game in a competitive way. "We can throw ourselves around and have a greater understanding. The Programme of Excellence is exciting for all us amateurs," said Dutch captain Roland Lefebvre.
Amongst Woolmer's team of coaches is former England all-rounder Dermot Reeve, always recognized as one of the most creative and innovative one-day players in his time. "Innovation is a great part of the underdogs' armoury, it's not a hindrance. The mesages I've tried to convey are creative thinking and the fact that, whoever you are, it's still 11 human beings against another 11 human beings. So what if they are called Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee. You can still be competitive." But it was Kenya who came away with the plaudits. "We have come a long way," said captain Steve Tikolo. "We are a professional team now and I hope we can sustain our performances and improve on them. "I hope people keep an eye on us at the World Cup because we are hoping for more than just one win. We are thinking of Super Sixes." | |
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