Kenya calls World Cup shift 'premature, unjustified'

Cricket Kenya has expressed its disappointment at losing out on hosting the ICC Under-19 World Cup in 2010, calling the decision "wholly premature and unjustified". This is Kenya's first official response to the decision, taken at the ICC's conference in end-June.

The World Cup was moved after an ICC report concluded that with only eight months to go before the event, it was "unrealistic" to expect Kenya to be ready to host the tournament. Cricket Kenya said it spent more than US$150,000 on ground improvements for the tournament.

"This is not the first time Kenya has hosted such an important fixture and Cricket Kenya has maintained throughout its dealings with ICC that it would be ready by the time the tournament was to take place," a board statement said. "It is also difficult, with the benefit of hindsight, to resist the conclusion that such a move was premeditated given the manner in which an alternate host was procured."

It said the decision to shift the tournament was endorsed despite the "very strong support" Kenya received from India and South Africa and had been criticised at an informal meeting of ICC's Associates and Affiliates, attended by all 94 non-Test playing countries, where the ICC's commitment to development was questioned.

"Having learned of the difficulties that Kenya had undergone and the financial responsibilities involved, Cricket Canada expressed grave reservations as to whether it is capable of hosting the 2012 event [Kenya was named as an alternate venue for the event]. It has agreed to report to the ICC on this once it had considered the matter further with its board."