India cannot afford to take Kenya lightly

By Vijay Lokapally

NAIROBI, OCT. 2. There is a nip in the air and the jacaranda trees lining the roads of Nairobi add to the beauty of the place. It is good time to be in Nairobi, they say and the best if you happen to be a cricket lover.

``Clean cricket''. The focus of this ICC knockout tournament is loud and clear. The betting and matchfixing scandals seem to be in the past as the cricketing fraternity looks forward to some meaningful and exciting cricket over the next fortnight in this African nation.

The game, wounded by the assault of bookies all over, is limping back to gain credibility in the eyes of its followers. Cricket faces its greatest challenge as it battles the evil of matchfixing in this new season of hope with the active support of players who do realise the damage caused by some of their colleagues, now tainted and thrown out of the circuit.

Almost every Test playing nation has felt the tremors of bookies invading the dressing rooms. India chose to remain blissfully ignorant until one fine morning the administration was shaken violently by some startling revelations. A few players have been punished and a few more are awaiting judgement as the investigating agencies give finishing touches to their hard work in India.

The dreadful figure of the bookie has brought immense ignominy to the game and it is in this background that the ICC launches its sincere effort to cleanse the game. The second edition of the ICC knockout tournament promises all that makes limited overs cricket such a spectacle.

The Indians have marked out their roles with specific instructions for each individual. Accountability is the keyword as coach Aunshuman Gaekwad whips his boys into a matchwinning combination. A glimpse of the ambitious exercise will be known tomorrow when India takes on Kenya in the opening match of the tournament.

The Australians are the most sought after side here. The best equipped and best prepared side, led by an astute captain in Steve Waugh as one can imagine, Australia will be the team to watch and beat. The absence of Shane Warne will hurt but then this is one side which does not rely on individuals to pull the team through. Australia's strength lies in the fact that it has a man for every challenge.

Next in line will be South Africa, emerging from the blows dealt by Hansie Cronje and his matchfixing acts. The South Africans have shown remarkable mental resilience in redeeming their image so tarnished by the misdeeds of a few players. Only triumphs on the field will obliterate the losses off it and the players are well aware of their responsibilities.

Pakistan follows in that order to lay claims and there is reason to believe that it has the potential to brush aside all opposition. The unending flow of talent is an amazing aspect of Pakistan cricket as it keeps throwing exciting cricketers into the international arena and more often than not the new faces do not fail. The ability to raise the game is a tribute to Wasim Akram's incredible capacity to carry on. He stands out as the glowing example for every youngster wanting to make an impact and it is his presence on the field that fires the rest into performing. He will continue to be the key to Pakistan's fortunes.

Talking of tactical approach, the Sri Lankans are well placed under the guidance of Dave Whatmore. Winning is all that Sri Lanka has on mind and why not. It has a battery of exciting talent and some fabulously gifted men in Sanath Jayasuriya and Muthiah Muralitharan - two players who make their presence known in a telling manner, as does the steady Marwan Atapattu. Sri Lanka is considered a potent force to blow away some of the more formidable oppositions and will be followed keenly here.

England, New Zealand, Zimbabwe and the West Indies all fall in the category of the unpredictables. Fresh from its win at home against the West Indies, the England side should be counting itself among the favourites but given its record it would hardly qualify.

Zimbabwe is obviously buoyant after its home win in the one-day series against New Zealand but consistency has never been a strong point with it.

The West Indies is struggling. It is struggling to get eleven decent players on the field and what a fall it has been for what was once an invincible force in international cricket. It is a new look outfit with a lot of load on the sagging shoulders of Brian Lara.

Not far from this category is Sachin Tendulkar, who continues to be the torchbearer for this Indian team. He has to click for the rest to make merry and the master is focussed on ``giving his best.'' He shares with Robin Singh the tag of being the most senior member and like always he knows how much will be the pressure on him.

Pressure does bring the best out of Tendulkar but there is a suspicion that he is short of match practice for this tournament. It has been a long lay off from cricket for this man and the feel of ball on the bat in a match situation has been rare. How quickly he adapts will decide the course of the match even as India cannot afford to take things easy against Kenya, which is said to be a vastly improved side and capable of dealing a few shocks.

The Indians have kept Hemang Badani and S. Sriram out of the 12 and are not sure of the bowling combination yet. Venkatesh Prasad will be considered only if the team decides to play three seamers since Gaekwad and skipper Sourav Ganguly are very impressed by Zaheer Khan, the left-arm seamer from Baroda. ``After Srinath, he looks the fastest Indian I have come across,'' remarked Ganguly after the `nets' this afternoon.

Another option the team was also exploring was to ask Rahul Dravid to keep wickets and push Yuveraj Singh into the middle order and also play Prasad. ``I would prefer Dahiya to keep wickets,'' confessed Gaekwad, which would leave the fight between Prasad and Yuveraj.

Bangladesh, the latest Test nation, will do well to use this opportunity to learn a few lessons. As for the rest, the tournament beckons to compete at their best with a strong rider though. There are no comebacks as it happens to be a knockout competition.

The teams (from):

India: Sourav Ganguly (Captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Vinod Kambli, Robin Singh, Sunil Joshi, Vijay Dahiya, Anil Kumble, Ajit Agarkar, Zaheer Khan, Venkatesh Prasad and Yuveraj Singh.

Kenya: Maurice Odumbe (Captain), Steve Tikolo, Kennedy Otieno, Ravindu Shah, Hitesh Modi, Thomas Odoyo, Tony Suji, Martin Suji, Mohammad Sheikh, Collins Otieno, Lameck Onyango, Peter Ochieng, Josephat Ababu and James Kamande.

Hours of play (IST): 12.15 p.m. to 3.45 p.m.; 4.30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Umpires: Messrs David Orchard and Steve Bucknor; Third umpire: Mr. Darrel Hair; Match Referee: Mr. Ranjan Madugalle.

Big game for us, says Ganguly

``Big game for us,'' says Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly on the eve of the ICC knockout tournament match against Kenya here.

Wonder what the Indian skipper would have to say on the eve of the match against Australia if it gets past Kenya. Well, Ganguly had his reasons to make such a statement. ``It is a knockout tournament and one can never take chances. Anything can happen. Cricket is a great leveller and can bring the best down,'' he added.

Ganguly said he would indeed be opening the innings and the team would be giving hundred per cent. ``It is a good track and could offer bounce. We just want to go out there. I was impressed with the way we fielded in the practice match against the West Indies and we are hoping a lot from the young boys in this team.''

The Indian captain remarked, ``we can't promise victory everytime.'' He would not have struggled to recall the Indian victories of last season, so rare were they, even as he added ``we need time.''

Ganguly was modest enough to concede, ``I know people back home would be fed up of hearing this, but I promise we will try our best.''

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