Kenya cautious about World Cup prospects

NAIROBI, Mar 1 (Reuters) Kenya, surprise semi-finalists at the 2003 World Cup, remain guarded about their prospects in the Caribbean next month despite winning the World Cricket League tournament this year.

The home side defeated Scotland by eight wickets in the final of the tournament featuring the non-test nations who will take part in the ninth World Cup.

''As far as we are concerned, we have won our World Cup. Our opponents have taken a note after emerging as the top associate member, which should work against us at the World Cup. But our victory has given us confidence and boosted our morale,'' vice-captain Thomas Odoyo, named man-of-the-match twice during the tournament, told reporters.

Kenya will play in group C in St Lucia with England, New Zealand and Canada.

''England are enjoying top form at the moment while New Zealand are arguably the world's second most disciplined side after Australia. The only team we are sure to beat is Canada,'' said Odoyo.

At the age of 17 and still in high school, Odoyo was in the Kenyan team who debuted in the 1996 World Cup in the Indian subcontinent.

Kenya defeated the West Indies and at the 2003 World Cup in southern Africa they became the first non-test nation to reach the World Cup semi-finals.

Since then former captain Maurice Odumbe had been banned for five years for inappropriate contact with an Indian bookmaker.

Spinner Aasif Karim, also a former captain, retired in 1999, while pace bowler Martin Suji has been dogged by injuries.

Wicketkeeper and opening bat Kennedy Otieno is playing in Australia and Hitesh Modi settled in England two years ago.

Captain Steve Tikolo has had problems with the bat lately, failing to reach double figures in the recent tournament.

CONSOLATIONS Coach Roger Harper, a former West Indies' international, took consolations from the World Cricket League tournament.

''The tournament was significant in that it confirmed Kenya as the number one associate member and also made Kenyan cricket look ahead with confidence,'' he said.

''We can look at the World Cup as well as the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa with our heads high. It was a perfect opportunity to look at our cricket in a competitive environment and try and fit it in our World Cup plans.'' Tikolo played down his poor form, saying if Kenya could still win a tournament without his batting, the team was on the track track.

''I have been the main batsmen over the years, but if the boys can still score runs when I am dismissed, it means well for the team,'' he said.

Otieno's brother David Obuya opens the batting with Maurice Ouma and also keeps wicket. Ouma is a product of the ICC high performance training centre in Pretoria, South Africa, where he trained with middle-order batsman Tanmay Mishra, left-arm spinner Hiren Varaiya and right-arm medium pace bowler Nehemiah Odhiambo.

Kenyan cricket is played in private members' clubs and concentrated in the capital Nairobi and the Indian Ocean port of Mombasa. The majority of players are of Asian extract because few indigenous Kenyans can afford the bat and the helmet.

REUTERS PDS KN1852