Less adulation but greater honour
Will Luke previews the ICC World Cup Qualifiers 2009
The Big Picture
Group A
Canada
With a number of gifted and experienced players, Canada is that rare Associate nation where cricket is gradually expanding in schools and not relying largely on immigrants' passion for the game. Consistency is their problem; they have the potential to beat most Associates, and in theory should breeze past the Affiliate nations, yet often let themselves down, as their warm-up defeat to Zimbabwe A showed. Much rests on the shoulders of their wicketkeeping captain, Ashish Bagai.Ireland
Favourites for the World Twenty20 Qualifiers last year, Ireland are again at the top of the pecking order for this event. However, as they found out in Kenya in 2006, for the World Cricket League Division 1, nothing can be taken for granted. They have the players to beat all-comers; the only question remains whether they can handle the pressure against opposition whose free-spiritedness often takes more accomplished sides by surprise.Namibia
Realistically, Namibia have only an outsider's chance of reaching the top four and thus qualifying for the World Cup. An impressive four-day side - they reached the final of the ICC Intercontinental Cup last year - they've struggled to adapt their game to the shorter format, but they did beat Bermuda in a warm-up last week. Much rests on the shoulders of Gerrie Snyman who hits the ball a very long way and bowls tidy seam-up.Oman
The ACC Challenge champions, Oman have gradually worked their way up through the divisions with a number of impressive performances. This latest challenge, however, is by far the toughest. They have had sporadic success against UAE, Namibia and Uganda, but the likes of Ireland and Scotland and Kenya outrank them in both ability and experience. They are in reasonable form, however, beating an Easterns XI and Afghanistan last week. Though the chances of reaching the final four are slim, the knowledge they will gain should stand them in good stead for the future.Scotland
Not the favourites, but neither are they the underdogs. Ireland may outrank them, but Scotland are a highly organised side who will challenge all teams in all facets of the game. They are the fittest, too, following a new strenuous regime-change. Their foundations behind the scene are strong, too: if they qualify for the 2011 World Cup, they have promised to double the number of players on professional contracts to six. Associate and Affiliate players so often have to mix their full-time jobs with playing for their country, so this is a giant leap forward. Their captain, Ryan Watson - upon whom so much rests - has lost nearly two stone in weight and is confident that this is the best-prepared Scotland side he has ever captained.Uganda
Arguably the most exciting African nation to be making their way up the ranks, Uganda are an interesting prospect. Physically they are very fit, largely thanks to their South African coach, Barney Mohamed, who has instilled in them a belief in themselves which is beginning to bear fruition. Consistency, as ever, is a problem - their batting has a horrible tendency to randomly implode - but with an outstanding youth development scheme, helping to promote the game among schools, the signs are encouraging for the future.Group B
Afghanistan
The team to watch. Afghanistan have injected enthusiasm and, just as importantly, publicity into Affiliate cricket which inevitably rarely attracts much attention. Their story is undoubtedly compelling; a group of players from a country ravaged by war, where the Taliban banned the game, now stand on the threshold of rubbing shoulders with the world's best. It doesn't end there. Their cricket is entertaining, their players talented and aggressive and they have now won three consecutive World Cricket League titles on the bounce. Hope is rapidly being replaced by belief, a sentiment beginning to be shared by Kabulites themselves.Bermuda
As ever, if Bermuda play to their ability they will beat most teams. Yet this hasn't been the case for some time, despite large funding from the government which has yet to bear much fruit. This time it could be different though: they have spent several weeks training in the West Indies where the results, while mixed, showed a huge improvement in the consistency of their top order. Lionel Cann, a flamboyant strokemaker, has so often been left to clean up the dregs. Perhaps now is his time to be let loose. While in West Indies Gus Logie, their coach, organised a training camp - or "brutal boot camp", as Cann put it, which is another encouraging sign that the perceived apathy of the past is now a distant memory.Denmark
Cricket remains a minor sport in a country obsessed by football, but the Danes have potential - as demonstrated in their third-place finish in the European Championship last year. Freddie Klokker, the captain, is a compact and talented left-hander who has played for Derbyshire, and led his side to a 21-run win over Uganda in the World Cricket League Division 2. This tournament, however, is all about laying a bedrock for the future.Kenya
Kenya have had a difficult few years. In terms of pure ability, they still possess some of the most gifted in Associate cricket, but boardroom battles and payment disputes have seeped their poisonous ways into their performances on the pitch. The year 2008 was near enough a disaster: they lost to a school/club side on their tour of Britain and later were accused of poor behaviour and dissent by another team in Devon. When Ireland rolled them for an abject 67, it spelled the end of their qualification for this year's World Twenty20, and drew the curtains on an awful 12 months for one of Associate cricket's top nations. They have, however, unearthed one of the most talented batsmen for years in Seren Waters; and their evergreen captain, Steve Tikolo, remains near the top of his game.Netherlands
That they managed to qualify for this summer's ICC World Twenty20 showed the ability that lurks within, but Netherlands' inconsistency continues to prevent them from regularly challenging the best. With Peter Drinnen on board (former Scotland coach and victim of a whispering campaign against him), along with Roland Lefebre - the former allrounder - they have a solid support staff. They could just as easily cause an upset as they could be routed.UAE
With Pakistan off the agenda for touring teams, cricket in Dubai and Abu Dhabi will increasingly host high-profile tournaments and series, and the UAE side will soon have neighbourhood access to some of the world's most prestigious facilities once the Dubai Sports City and the ICC's academy are finally built. They won Division 2 of the WCL and are a side packed to bursting with batsmen. Their standout player, Saqib Ali, cracked a hundred in the ACC Trophy Elite event last year and is a consistent bedrock of stability to the line-up.Will Luke is a staff writer at Cricinfo