Ex-Kenyan cricketer Angara back from Bostwana with experience

Former Kenyan international Joseph Angara has said Botswana is on its way to becoming one of the big names in cricket in Africa.

Angara, 51, returned home on Monday after spending eight years in the southern African nation as coach of the ‘Baggy Blues’, said: “Every now and then I could see the improvement from the boys. I wanted this to continue until they are competitive,” said the former Kenya international.

He took over as Botswana’s coach in July 2015. His extended three-year contract with the team lapsed last Friday.

Angara has said that peace in the southern Africa nation also made it easy for him to agree to a contract extension.

The father of three played as an allrounder for Kenya between 1997 and 2005.

He was part of the Kenyan squad that competed in the 1999 and 2003 editions of the International Cricket Council World Cups, with the latter being the most memorable outing as Kenya reached the semifinals.

The 1999 World Cup was held in England while the 2003 competition was co-hosted by Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Angara quit the national team in 2005 and moved to South Africa where he played for Gugulethu Cricket Club for three seasons before returning home to develop coaching programmes for schools.

The former Swamibapa Sports Club man says his biggest achievement in Botswana is creation of development structures for the country’s teams.

He is back home to be close to his family and to give someone else the chance to steer Botswana even to greater heights.

“I am very happy with what I have done but I also feel that the boys need a different voice and I have got to give them that. It is not about Joseph Angara but the growth of Botswana cricket,” he said.

“Staying away from your family is also a big challenge but sometimes as a man you have to sacrifice for their sake.”

He singled-out creating a strong pathway structure to both the men’s and women’ national teams as his greatest achievement for the time he spent in Botswana. These included Under-13, 15, 17 and 23 teams.

“I wanted to bridge the gap between Under-19 in the national team. I know I am leaving a very young competitive side that just needs to be exposed. Anybody who is going to take over Botswana will definitely have a very good side that is going to win games,” said Angara, who also coached the Botswana national U19 side.

He said his focus now is to help grow cricket at home.

“I am a servant of the game. Any opportunity that I will be given, I’m ready for it but I also want to reflect, re-energise but also there is family time that I want to take care of,” he said.

When on holidays, Angara has been teaching pupils at Nyahera in Kisumu cricket. He plans to introduce football to the programme.

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