Kenya's stars forced abroad
A lack of cricket - either domestic or international - is driving players abroad according to a report in the Nation newspaper
Cricinfo staff
16-Jun-2007
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"Frustrated by the unending feuds with the Kenya Cricket Association over money and other administrative matters, members of the Kenya cricket team who went on strike in October are looking to foreign leagues to sustain lives and keep their cricket alive," the article claimed. Steve Tikolo and Thomas Odoyo are playing in Bangladesh, while Maurice Ouma and Collins Obuya are in South Africa. Others are reported to be seeking deals which will enable them to play club cricket in England next season.
Kennedy Otieno, one of the striking players who is now coaching, said that seeking contracts abroad was the only solution. "We were left with no option but to run away from Kenya so as to keep our careers alive and earn a living," he told the newspaper.
As things stand, Kenya has no international fixture until next June. The KCA's own league and cup competitions have failed to materialise, and so players are left with little other than low-standard local matches to keep them in training. With the KCA reportedly close to bankruptcy, no long-term contracts are on offer either.