Kenya averts players' boycott, will compete at World Cricket League

Nairobi, Nov 6 : Kenya will compete in the World Cricket League Division Three starting on Friday in Muscat, Oman, after officials secured funds to settle players' allowances.

The team, which has been training here, had threatened not to compete after the government failed to release the funds. The players also demanded better training facilities and a training ground, reports Xinhua news agency.

A boycott by the players was averted after they received a donation of 16,000 U.S. dollars from former Cricket Kenya chairperson Jackie Janmohammed on Monday.

The official also allayed fears of Kenya missing out on the tournament, which would have triggered a ban from the International Cricket Council (ICC).

"We have to honour the fixture to avoid being banned by the ICC," said Janmohammed here on Monday evening.

The team, which departs for Muscat on Tuesday, will now see each player pocket 900 U.S. dollars for their stay in Oman.

However, head coach Maurice Odumbe has been omitted from the travelling party for leading the players' boycott, with his place being taken by David Obuya.

The Kenyan national team, which was relegated from Division Two this year, will now have to battle it out with hosts Oman, Uganda, Denmark, Singapore and the U.S. in a round-robin contest.

The six-nation tournament, played over 50 overs, will run from November 9 to 21 in Muscat. The top two teams will qualify for the ICC World Cricket League Division Two to be held in 2019.

The tournament will also form part of the qualification process for the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup.