Odoyo ruled out of Caribbean trip

Thomas Odoyo, one of Kenya's successes in international cricket, has been ruled out of their side for the 2004 West Indies Carib Beer Series with a knee injury. Odoyo had an operation on his left knee last Saturday, and will be sidelined for two months.

Steve Tikolo leads a squad that features most of the members of the side that stunned the cricket world by reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup in March.

Among them is the legspinner Collins Obuya, whose five-wicket haul lifted Kenya to a shock victory against Sri Lanka. Obuya later played a first-class match in Barbados against the touring Australians before a stint with Warwickshire in English county cricket.

The Kenya selectors have also called up Under-19 players Maurice Ouma, Alfred Luseno and Rageb Aga.

Kenya play their first match of the Carib Beer Series against West Indies B from January 9 to 12. Their other opponents are Leeward Islands, Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados, Windward Islands, and Guyana. They are using the series as a developmental exercise as they continue to press for Test status.

Kenya squad Steve Tikolo (capt), Martin Suji, Peter Ongondo, Maurice Odumbe, Hitesh Modi, Brijal Patel, Lameck Onyango, Alfred Luseno, Kennedy Obuya, Maurice Ouma, Francis Otieno, Collins Obuya, Ravindu Shah, Rageb Aga.