Canadian players warned: 'Nobody is sure of World Cup place'

Canada's preparations for the World Cup, which got off to a wretched start when they were beaten by Zimbabwe and Bermuda in Trinidad in May, resume later this week when they meet Kenya. But on the eve of the game, one of the country's selectors had issued a stark warning to the players.

The discontent within the set-up became public when Errol Townshend, the selector for Ontario, revealed that Austin Ward, the chairman of selectors, issued an unequivocal statement that the starting XIs picked by the national selectors were not to be changed except with the approval of the selectors.

"We had a mess last year against Bermuda in the Intercontinental Cup when the selectors, seeing the batting was weak, picked an extra batsman, only for an extra bowler to be brought in from outside the squad on match day," Townsend explained. "This led directly to our defeat."

In the aftermath of that result - the coach, the captain and the high performance manager - were dismissed.

"Let us hope there will be no need for that this time," Townsend told the Canada Cricket Online website. "All the selectors fully back Ward's directive. Certainly, the nonsense that went on in Trinidad back in May with the coach and the captain won't be tolerated. We are very serious about that. Anyone who messes about with the teams selected does so at their peril.

"As for the players, they must realize they have not performed well since Ireland. The national team program since January has been a disaster: no coach for the indoor season, no warm-up games before the Trinidad series, poor turnout at practices, the coach taking off on holiday in the middle of the season just before a tournament. Still the onus is on the players to shape up. Nobody, but nobody, is sure of a seat on the plane to the Caribbean."