Shock as Kenya skipper deserts team

What you need to know:

  • The experienced all rounder Obuya, a middle order batsman and leg-break bowler, decided not to travel to Oman to compete at the 11th hour. The team flew out of Nairobi on Tuesday bound for Muscat arriving later in the day.

Kenya will open their ICC World League Division Three campaign Friday against hosts Oman at the Emarat Cricket Stadium, Muscat without key player and captain Collins Obuya.

The experienced all rounder Obuya, a middle order batsman and leg-break bowler, decided not to travel to Oman to compete at the 11th hour. The team flew out of Nairobi on Tuesday bound for Muscat arriving later in the day.

Obuya’s elder sibling, David, who is also the Cricket Kenya Interim Committee (CKIC) secretary Wednesday said: "It took me by surprise when I learnt that Collins, who had been named captain of the side, had decided not to travel to Oman.”

When asked why he dropped from the side, Collins was evasive simply saying that he had pressing personal commitments in Nairobi.

Collins was replaced in the squad by Narendra Patel, a dependable batsman who turns out for Kanbis in the Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association Super Division.

Collins’ position as team captain will be filled by vice-captain, Dhiren Gondaria, Kenya’s number three batsman. Gondaria will be assisted by his club mate, Rakep Patel, who resigned in February after the debacle in Namibia, where Kenya failed to register a single win in the ICC World Cricket League Division Two to be relegated to Division Three.

Collins is one of the most experienced players in the side. He was first capped during the 2003 ICC World Cup. He shocked Sri Lanka’s batsmen when he took five wickets for 24 runs conceded in his 10 overs bowling spell at the Nairobi Gymkhana. Kenya, an ICC affiliate member (210 for 9 in 50 overs) beat Test playing Sri Lanka (156 all out in 45 overs) by 53 runs.

FIXTURES

Friday: Kenya v Oman

Monday: Kenya v USA

Tuesday: Kenya v Uganda

November 16: Kenya v Singapore

November 18: Kenya v Denmark