Kenya to send best players to Harare as KCA reacts to World Cup news

Kenya Cricket Association Chairman, Mr. Jimmy Rayani, has confirmed Kenya will send a near full strength squad to the Emerging Nations tournament in Zimbabwe in April.

Regardless of whether Kenya is given automatic entry to the 2003 World Cup and therefore does not attend next year's ICC Trophy, Mr. Rayani said the Harare tournament was important in Kenya's short term plans.

"We have the ICC knockout to be played here (Nairobi) and we see Zimbabwe as important preparation for that," Mr. Rayani said.

"The squad will have all of the top players plus a couple of youngsters so we can give them a bit of experience before the ICC Knockout."

Mr. Rayani said he expected Maurice Odumbe and Steve Tikolo to be in the squad, which will be chosen in early March.

The ICC Executive Board member was both diplomatic and pleased when asked about the Board's recommendation to grant Kenya and Bangladesh automatic entry to the next World Cup.

"It is only a recommendation at this stage and needs to be approved (at the ICC meeting) in June," Mr. Rayani said cautiously. "The chances are it will go through."

He added that direct qualification would simplify the KCA's job in lifting Kenyan cricket to the next stage.

"It is great news. We can concentrate on our preparation for the World Cup. It also means we save money that we can use elsewhere on improving our standards.

"We now know exactly what the situation is and can plan accordingly."

He added that it gave further meaning to One Day International status.

"It is only right that ODI team countries are recognised in this way."

Most in non-Test circles are regarding the passing of resolutions for direct qualification for Kenya and Bangladesh and an increase in the number of teams for 2003 to 14 as foregone conclusions.

However, ICC officials were last week keen to emphasise it was only a recommendation.

"It has to be passed at the June meeting," ICC official, Mr. Clive Hitchcock said.

"The media is reporting this as though it has already been approved and it hasn't."

However, there is a feeling among some Associate member officials that the Executive Board would be wary of the backlash which negative votes in June may generate.

There is known to be some resistence due to a feared dilution in the quality of matches should another two Associate members be included.