A GLORIOUS GYMKHANA RETURN DESPITE KENYAN LOSSES

Kenya lost two series in a row, but perhaps something more significant was happening.

Two series losses would not have been part of the plan from Kenyan management before the three match unofficial ODI series and five T20s against a higher ranked Nepal side who had never toured the country before. But something else definitely was: a glorious return to the Nairobi Gymkhana Club which before this tour had not seen international cricket for ten years.

The Gymkhana as an African cricket ground is a historic place. Most will remember it from Kenya's incredible win against Sri Lanka in the group stages of the 2003 World Cup. Others maybe as the sacred site where a 16-year-old Shahid Afridi broke the record for the quickest ODI hundred having just made his debut two days before. It was also where all of the games of the ICC Knockout Trophy in 2000 were held - the only global white ball trophy ever won by New Zealand.

With its history dating back to 1927, the Nairobi Gymkhana of course has much more to its history than two of its most famous matches, and an ICC tournament that now doesn't exist. However those moments are extremely notable in their way.

The win against Sri Lanka in 2003 is what most people remember Kenyan cricket for, right? Perhaps that and their upset against the West Indies in the 1996 world cup. Most who'll remember Steve Tikolo or Aasif Karim will note the tragic state of Kenyan cricket currently. What happened to them? Why weren't they given test status having just reached a world cup semi final? When will they reach these heights again? There are many frustrating answers to all of these, but the most important thing is that international cricket is back at the Nairobi Gymkhana after a ten year absence.

Kenya kept on clawing their way back into the five match T20 series making it 1-1, then 2-2 at crucial points when Nepal seemed to be about to run away with the series. Falling down in the deciding match to lose 3-2 will have hurt the home side, but the level of fight shown would also have emboldened them. However Kenya would go on to lose the 50 over series immediately after 0-3.

There was free entry to the Nepal games, a sign of the importance of a used and attended Nairobi Gymkhana in the fabric of Kenyan cricket. And the games were well attended. Nowhere approaching full, but certainly enough to generate atmosphere. At points in the second T20 when Kenyan batsmen struggled and then forced ones into twos through aggressive running that had been absent in the first game, you could hear the home crowd pick up. They knew this was important in the context of the game. This was a spark.

The turning of ones into two although simple brings back memories of a key component of 2003 world cup run - intensity. While Aasif Karim bowled his magic spell of 3 for 7 against Australia in Durban, Kenya's pressure cooker fielding brought about crucial unforced errors against the world champions.

It's hard to know why exactly it took ten years for cricket to return to the Gymkhana. Sports administration governance will have played a role as it so often does in associate cricket, and as it so often has in the story of Kenyan cricket. But its return is not just of importance to the fabric of Kenyan cricket but also in a wider sense to the region of East Africa, cricket in the continent as a whole, and the associate cricket world.

Shahid Afridi's early debut and historic innings two days later was part of a four team series featuring Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa and of course Kenya. Irish cricketers will even have memories of playing matches there as part of ICC Associate events. Whether or not it proved a formidable fortress for the Kenyan cricket team, this historic Nairobi ground always served as a welcoming host.

Their new appointed CEO, former Kenya U19 opening batsman, Manoj Narshi Patel has set his sights on Kenya qualifying for the T20 World Cup in 2024, with the 20 team event to be held in the United States and the West Indies. Manoj has also promised a new T10/T20 league to help develop Kenyan talent.

No doubt the return of international cricket to the Gymkhana ground is a small step, just like a side ranked 28th pushing a side ranked 16th to the very last game of a five match international T20 series. But forget Kenyan cricket momentarily, its joys, frustrations and disappointments. A very important ground in the world of cricket is back hosting international cricket.