Ireland face decisive test

Tomorrow's meeting of Kenya and Ireland is a crucial one for both teams, but Ireland will feel their entire ICC World Cricket League Division 1 campaign could hinge on the result of this game.

Having lost a match already - to Scotland on the opening day - the Irish will be going all out to win at the Ruaraka ground in Nairobi knowing that failure to do so will most likely see them fail to make next Wednesday's final.

However, latest form would suggest they will have their work cut out.

Kenya have been going very well of late, having won a one-day international tri-series against Scotland and Canada in Mombasa last week and having eased through their opening two games of the tournament.

In those games they lost a total of just three wickets, beating Bermuda by 10 wickets and the Netherlands by seven.

For the first time in years, the Kenya top-order looks solid.

David Obuya and Maurice Ouma are batting very well together, while the return of Ravi Shah at number three is a huge boost for Roger Harper's team.

So much in the past has relied on the broad shoulders of Steve Tikolo in the middle-order and he often found himself at the wicket with his team two or three down with not very much on the board.

But now the 35-year-old talisman of Kenyan cricket often has the luxury of coming in after his side has made a good start and he can display his usual brand of attacking, fluent batting.

"I am very happy with how we are playing at the moment," said Ouma, the wicketkeeper-batsman who is currently joint-top of the Player of the Tournament table, level after two games with his opening partner Obuya.

"David and I have been batting well at the start of the innings and it is a great feeling as I have not been in good form recently. Our bowlers have been fantastic though, especially the openers.

"Thomas (Odoyo) and Peter (Ongondo) have been hitting the right areas and putting real pressure on the opposition.

"It makes our life as batsmen much easier when we have a small total to chase."

Ireland, on the other hand, have been struggling a little.

Stung by a demoralising last-ball defeat to arch-rivals Scotland on Tuesday, Adrian Birrell's side registered an unconvincing win over Bermuda yesterday and will not be full of confidence ahead of their must-win game tomorrow.

The biggest worry for Birrell is likely to be his seam bowlers, who have not been in form so far in this tournament and have been conceding far too many extras.

"It is a concern. Losing to Scotland was a big blow and we know we are not performing to our best but I believe we can turn it around," said Birrell.