Kenya send for Mudassar

While Kenya's search for a full-time coach drags on, they have sent for one of those on the shortlist to fill the vacancy, Mudassar Nazar, to help them with their preparations for next month's Intercontinental Cup semi-finals and the tour of Zimbabwe which precedes them.

Mudassar, who filled in as coach on a temporary contract which ended on June 30, is believed to be ona fourt-man shortlist. Samir Inamdar, the KCA chairman, said that Mudassar and South African Andy Kirsten were approached, but Kirsten had existing commitments. Kirsten, who was Sandip Patel's assistant when Patil was Kenya's coach prior to the 2003 World Cup, and Mudassar both have a working knowledge of the Kenyan set-up.

Inamdar, who said that the board has received a number of applications for the vacancy as a result of an advertisement on the ICC website, also announced the appointment of Davinder Bharij, a former Kenyan hockey international, as team manager. "We need people outside our own circles to help us," he said. "It is my aim to widen the area of our personnel as we do not want the KCA to be a closed shop."

Kenya travel to Zimbabwe where they will play two three-day matches and a one-day match against a Zimbabwe A side before going on to Namibia.

The KCA will interview candidates for the coaching vacancy after the tournament.