NAIROBI, Kenya, June 16 – Another storm is brewing in Kenyan cricket with national team players calling for the resignation of the chairman of the national selection committee Nasur Varjee.Kenya Cricket Players Association chairman Isaiah Ochido said at a press briefing on Wednesday that the team is unhappy with Varjee who they claim has been mistreating them and insensitive to their needs.
“We are asking Nasur Varjee to step down either voluntarily or not,” said Ochido who was flanked by former captains Steve Tikolo and Maurice Odumbe and wicket keeper Kennedy Obuya.
“The players view the chairman as unfair and being hard to the young players even calling some of them illiterate,” said Ochido.
The players are asking the government to intervene by forming an ‘Independent Selection Committee’ to address the problems currently bedeviling the team.
The domestic structure is also a main concern with Ochido stating that the current leagues are not adequate preparation for international competition and that players are being forced to play for certain clubs.
Ochido added that the team is in dialogue with Cricket Kenya (CK) who they hope will sort out the issue before June 19 and the World Cricket League (WCL) Division One which begins on July 1 in the Netherlands.
CK chairman Samir Inamdar told Capital Sport that the players had raised their concerns about Varjee through the captain and the vice captain on Monday to discuss their new contracts.
“At that time it was not possible to deal with the matter because the meeting was aimed looking at their contracts and the issue of Varjee was a side issue,” said Inamdar.
“I will call a meeting soon with both the players and Varjee so that he can defend himself,” he added.
Inamdar believes that Kenya’s participation in the WCL is not in jeopardy and that the tour will go as planned.
Kenya Squad
Maurice Ouma (captain), James Kamande, Collins Obuya, Dominic Wesonga, Alex Obanda, Elijah Otieno, Hiren Varaiya, Rakep Patel, Alfred Luseno, Nehemiah Odhiambo, Thomas Odoyo, James Ngoche, Shem Ngoche, Nelsen Odhiambo, Francis Ndege.
