Drawing in the crowds

Were it not for the balmy conditions, I could just as well be watching two counties in England in early April - not a one-day international in Nairobi in January. Crowd attendance for the World Cricket League so far has been skimpy, at best; there were 22 certifiable spectators yesterday at the Gymkhana. I counted each one. Today, though, it is positively heaving with close to 50.

It’s a relief. The only noise during the matches so far has roared from the throaty disgust of team coaches, and us enthusiastic anoraks in the press box. Roger Harper has been particularly vocal, using the breezeblock walls of the Jaffreys club as a makeshift (and very effective) megaphone for the opening match of the tournament.

Few locals have been too bothered with it and, from some quarters, there have been mumblings of discontent that the matches haven’t been well publicised. One fervent Scotland fan, travelling with his wife, told me he only knew of the whereabouts of the opening game 12 hours before it started. Incidentally, this was moved forward 24 hours due to a religious holiday, but it’s a shame Cricket Kenya haven’t utilised the local media as best they might.

The local news last night incorrectly advertised today’s game, Kenya’s match against Netherlands, before correcting their mistake a couple of minutes later. Not a major problem, but it’s unnecessarily sloppy. Yesterday’s superb game here between Scotland and Ireland was as good as it gets yet it was watched by next to no one.

Today’s gaggle of schoolchildren – screaming K-E-N-Y-A....Kenya! – makes a welcome change. Let’s hope they stick around for the future, too.