Sahara Computers, a South African IT firm, have pledged KSh2.24m ($35,000 USD) for the sponsorship and funding of Kenya's regional cricket league which gets underway in January.

The competition has subsequently been renamed the Sahara Provincial League. In addition, Bipin Vora, a long-time supporter of Kenyan cricket has donated 200,000KS in a bid to revive Kenya's development programme. According to a report in Kenya's Daily Nation last week, Vora has urged executives to form a fund-raising committee to "strengthen the league's coffers".

Speaking at the function, Thomas Odoyo, the Kenya vice-captain, said it was crucial for Kenya's development that a cricket academy is set-up.

"Young players should be going through a cricket acdemy before being capped," he told the newspaper. "It's a very crucial matter in developing players. Kenya needs a strong development programme to prepare budding stars so the national team can have a constant supply of players."