Sports Minister calls for overhaul of cricket board

By ERICK OCHIENG’

After a dismal performance at the Cricket World Cup in India that saw the axing of national cricket coach Eldine Baptiste and the dropping of captain Jimmy Kamande, Sports Minister Paul Otuoma and Commissioner of Sports Gordon Oluoch have called for a total overhaul on the national cricket board.

The Government officials feel Cricket Kenya (CK) is responsible for dwindling standards of the sport, saying that the board has been in the office for eight years without any tangible improvement on the game during their tenure.

"The officials are responsible for the current rot in the game," said Otuoma on Tuesday at his office where he suggested the radical surgery for the federation.

On his past, Oluoch admitted the performance in the game is wanting. He suggested there was need to improve cricket stadia and playgrounds across the country as away of taking the game to the next level.

Board met

"Discarded cricket playgrounds like the ones in Nairobi’s Eastleigh, Jamhuri and Jaffreys Schools and other areas should be revamped to improve on the game," said Oluoch.

Reacting to the minister’s statement CK Chairman Samir Inamdar said that was a premature view of the federation by the Sports ministry.

"He (the minister) has never met us and has no knowledge about our operations," said Inamdar.

However, Inamdar did not deny the need for a total overhaul the national cricket leadership.

Current operations

"We are looking forward for far reaching effects. Changes are going to be made at Cricket Kenya. This has been part of our agenda at the various meetings that we’ve had," Inamdar said.

Inamdar stated CK would meet the Sports Minister at his office to brief him on their current operations and what they are upto.

"The board met last week and discussed a number of items which we are yet to brief the minister, at the moment, we want to secure our appointment with him," he said.

CK was hardest hit by the loss of the national team at the ICC World Cup last month.

National cricket team captain Kamande was dropped less than six months after replacing Maurice Ouma who stepped down over what he termed as negative internal and external interferences in team.

The federation, however, has not announced Kamande’s replacement. Inamdar said the position of the coach would be advertised in for people to apply, while that of the captain would be announced later.