India aim to go hard against Kenya

India will not risk easing up when they play Kenya in their first match of the World Cup Super Six under the Newlands lights here on Friday.

The Indians remember only too well the shock 70-run defeat against the unfancied Africans when they batted second under lights during a triangular series match in Port Elizabeth last season.

"We're preparing exactly the same way we have for our other games. It's an important match," coach John Wright said today.

India go into the Super Six phase trailing the Kenyans, who carry forward 10 points from the first round after their win by forfeit against New Zealand and their surprise victory over Sri Lanka in Nairobi.

India take eight points into the next round, which places them third behind unbeaten Australia (12) and Kenya.

Kenya's win against India in Port Elizabeth was something of an anomaly as it was sandwiched between a 10-wicket trouncing of the Kenyans five days earlier, when the Africans were bowled out for 90, and a 186-run win a week later.

It was enough, though, to provide Wright with ammunition when he warns his players of complacency after the emotional high of their triumph against Pakistan last Saturday.

The Indians had a two-day break following the Pakistan match but were back in full work mode at the nets at Newlands today.

"It's a very big opportunity," he said of India's chance to reach the semi-finals. "But we have to guard against complacency. The players have to be hungry to win their next match and they must respect the opposition."

Kenya, meanwhile, confirmed the fears of neutrals that they could be on the wrong end of some one-sided matches in the Super Six when they lost by 142 runs in their final Group B match against the West Indies in Kimberley on Tuesday.

The Kenyans travelled to Cape Town today and will only have one full session in the nets on tomorrow morning.

If the Africans are to be a threat to an in-form Indian team they will probably need to bat first and post a reasonable total, then try to put the Indians under pressure.

Opening batsmen Ravindu Shah and Kennedy Otieno both made half-centuries in the upset in Port Elizabeth and will need to get their side off to a good start, while classy batsman Steve Tikolo, the Kenyan captain, will be seeking to find better form than he has so far shown in the tournament.

Wright said he was not concerned about any possible changes in conditions under floodlights. "Whether we bat first or second, we have the batting to do the job," he said.

Meanwhile, the Indians were relieved to learn that opener Virender Sehwag had not fractured the index finger of his right hand after being injured during fielding practice today.

The swelling, however, persists and team official Amrit Mathur said a decision on whether Sehwag will play on Kenya will be taken on Friday morning.

India: Sourav Ganguly (captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Dinesh Mongia, Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Anil Kumble, Harhajan Singh, Parthiv Patel, Ajit Agarkar, Sanjay Bangar

Kenya: Steve Tikolo (captain), Maurice Odumbe, Ravindu Shah, Asif Karim, Alpesh Vadher, Hitesh Modi, Joseph Angara, Collins Obuya, David Obuya, Kennedy Otieno, Thomas Odoyo, Martin Suji, Tony Suji, Peter Ongondo, Brijal Patel