zimcricketnews.com

The tri-series in Kenya has now been confirmed - there had been some speculation that Ireland would face pressure from the Irish Government over facing Zimbabwe, but Cricket Ireland Chief Executive Warren Deutrom has confirmed that they've cleared the series with the Department of Foreign Affairs, and there are no problems with the series being played on neutral ground.

In seperate news, ZC have also released the itinerary for Sri Lanka's visit to the country in November. The tour will comprise one 4-day match, a 1-day tour match and 5 ODIs - full details on our Fixtures page.

CricInfo lists the following fixtures for a tri-series in Kenya, with all matches to be played at the Gymkhana Ground in Nairobi:

Friday 17 October       Ireland v Zimbabwe
Saturday 18 October     Kenya v Ireland
Sunday 19 October       Kenya v Zimbabwe
Tuesday 21 October      Ireland v Zimbabwe
Wednesday 22 October    Kenya v Ireland
Thursday 23 October     Kenya v Zimbabwe

There's no official confirmation of this series yet that I'm aware of, so don't take this as certain.

It's been known for a while that there was a good possibility of Zimbabwe touring Kenya later in the year, either as a bilateral tour or as part of a tri-series with Ireland, who are visiting Kenya for the Intercontinental Cup fixture in October.

Last week, CricketEurope posted fixtures for a tour by Zimbabwe in November, featuring one 4-day match and 4 ODIs, set for the 12th - 23rd November, while several press agencies reported that a tour had been agreed for October. Cricket Kenya have since denied that any fixtures have been agreed, with CricInfo reporting the denials:

A Cricket Kenya source admitted even if ZC agreed to visit, there was no guarantee that the Kenyan government, which has been vociferously critical of the excesses of the Mugabe regime following March's presidential elections, would allow the team to enter the country. At a recent summit of African leaders, Kenya's prime minister Raila Odinga called for Mugabe to be suspended from the African Union until he allows free and fair elections.

So don't believe what you read just yet.
CricInfo - Kenya denies Zimbabwe tour agreed
CricketEurope - Kenya Playing Schedule June - December 2008

Cricket Kenya, one of the leading ICC Associate members, has backed calls for Zimbabwe to be suspended from international cricket & ejected from the African Cricket Union (which is chaired by ZC Chairman, Peter Chingoka). The move comes in the wake of calls by Kenya's Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, for Zimbabwe to be suspended from the African Union in the wake of last week's disputed election.

With Asian nations opposing any action against Zim on political grounds, the focus now is on whether Zimbabwe's playing standards can be used as grounds for a change in their status - although if the aim is to prevent Zimbabwe playing overseas, particularly in the UK, that may not be the best solution. A step down to Associate level would see Zimbabwe included in the Intercontinental Cup, where they would have to play against Scotland and Ireland (who play a significant portion of their international matches in Northern Ireland, part of the UK).

The captain of fellow Associate side Scotland, Zimbabwe-born Ryan Watson, has also backed Zimbabwe's exclusion, although his reasoning is less political than most: Zimbabwe's suspension may lead to one more Associate spot in next year's World Twenty20 and give Scotland a greater chance of qualifying for the tourney, but probably wouldn't affect the situation in Zim:

"It's a hard subject for me to discuss because I hate what's going on there. But banning a team or banning a game of cricket, will that change the situation in Zimbabwe? The answer's probably no."

At least he's realistic. The ICC board meeting that will decide Zimbabwe's fate begins tomorrow (Wednesday).
The Guardian - Kenya add African weight to calls for Zimbabwe's exclusion
BBC Sport - Watson supports Zimbabwean exile

Zimbabwe will meet Kenya in an ODI series in September / October of this year. The tour is part of ZC's efforts to fill in their schedule after the postponment of the tour by India, although they're also hoping to get at least one other series scheduled for earlier in the year. Speaking to the Zimbabwe Independent, Cricket Kenya spokesman Tom Tikolo stated they were hoping to arrange for another side to join the tour to allow for a tri-series:

"The tour is to take place in September/October 2008 and we hope that we can have another international team to have (a) tri-series. We hope we can get at least three ODIs and two four-day matches."

Cricket Kenya are also hoping that if results go their way, the tour will encourage other Full Member sides to play against them, and that the tour will help improve Zimbabwe's own standards:

"We are continually talking to other countries to settle on matches for the team. At the moment we still hope that the ICC will insist on the teams to play us. We would really wish that our participation in engagements with Zimbabwe would become a permanent fixture for us. Reciprocal visits should be encourages at all levels."

"We at Cricket Kenya sympathise with our Zimbabwean brethren in that a strong Zimbabwe would build a strong Kenya. We would like to see a lot more interactions between the two of us in order to support our causes at the ICC."

Can't argue with that sentiment...
Zimbabwe Independent - Zimbabwe Cricket Bids To Fill India Void

ZC have named their Select side, to play Kenya Select in a 4-day match beginning on Thursday. The squad is:
Tino Mawoyo (captain), Eric Chauluka, Bonaparte Mujuru, Hamilton Masakadza, Regis Chakabva (wk), Keith Dabengwa, Price Masvaure, Admire Manyumwa, Graeme Cremer, Tymicen Maruma, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Trevor Garwe, Alois Tichana, Blessing Mahwire.
CricInfo - Mawoyo leads Zimbabwe A

Kenya met England in the final match in Group C - with England's form having been at best erratic of late, Kenya may have been harbouring hopes of reaching the second round for the second World Cup in a row, but sadly it wasn't to be. After winning the toss and electing to bat, Kenya found themselves on the receiving end of a determined English bowling display, and were bowled out for just 177. In reply, England wobbled early on with the loss of Michael Vaughan for just 1 run, but former Irish international Ed Joyce (75) and former South African Kevin Pietersen (56*) saw the English home with 17 overs to spare. Read that sentence again and see if you can spot the irony.

Australia v South Africa was billed as the group stage clash of the titans, but didn't quite live up to its billing. Aware of South Africa's run-chasing capability, Australia took the early fight to the Proteas and smashed their way to 377/6 from their 50 overs, showing particular contempt from the bowling of Shaun Pollock, who went for 83 runs from his 10 overs. In reply, Smith and de Villiers got off to a rapid start, but once de Villiers was run out by a superb direct hit by Shane Watson, thrown all the way from the boundary, the wheels came off the South African innings as Jacques Kallis was unable to score at the required rate, and most of the rest of the batsmen were unable to score at all. The Proteas were bowled out in the 48th over, 83 runs short of the target.
England beat Kenya by 7 wickets
Australia beat South Africa by 83 runs

Another day, another drubbing for the Associates, as Scotland met South Africa and Kenya met New Zealand.

Batting second seems to be the smart thing to do at this World Cup, so Kenya followed the trend and put New Zealand in to bat after winning the toss, a decision that scored immediate dividends as Lou Vincent found himself walking back to the pavillion after a 4th-ball duck. That was the brightest spot of the innings for Kenya, though, as Fleming, Taylor, Styris and McMillan helped themselves to a feast of runs off the Kenyan total on their way to a total of 331 from their 50 overs. In reply, it was really only a determined stand of 71 by Ravi Shah, assisted by Thomas Odoyo's 42, that saved Kenya's blushes - 7 other batsmen failed to make double figures, including the usually-reliable captain Steve Tikolo, and the Kenyans were bowled out for 183, with New Zealand securing their place in the Super Eight in the process.

South Africa likewise won their toss and put Scotland in to bat, having apparently tired of batting practice against the Netherlands. Scotland didn't disgrace themselves, working their way to 186/8 from their allotted overs, with Dougie Brown top-scoring on 45 not out, but once South Africa came to the crease it was clear the match would be over well ahead of time. Captain Graeme Smith clubbed his way to 91 off 65 balls, de Villiers 62 off 67 balls, with Prince, Kemp and Pollock finishing the job after their departure in an innings that lasted just 23 overs. South Africa are now assured of their Super Eight place, while Scotland are assured of their trip home.
South Africa beat Scotland by 7 wickets
New Zealand beat Kenya by 148 runs

Next up: Zimbabwe v Pakistan, a game that Zimbabwe must win to remain in the tournament, and Sri Lanka v Bangladesh.

Groups A and C got underway yesterday, with Australia meeting Scotland and Kenya facing Canada. There was no fairytale for the Scots, sadly as the Aussies ran up 334/6 from their alotted overs, with Ricky Ponting picking up 113 as the Scottish bowlers proved unable to get to grips with some aggressive Aussie batting. Come their own turn with the bat, the Saltires again looked somewhat out of their depth - only Colin Smith, with 51 runs to his name, put up any real fight as McGrath and Tait scythed through the batting order. The 203-run winning margin will probably have the anti-Associate mob baying again.

Better luck for Kenya, though, in their Group C opener against Canada. The two sides have met several times this year already - the record before this match was 3-1 to Kenya, and yesterday's outing stuck to the form book as Kenya eased themselves to another win. Canada were bowled out for a respectable 199 in the first innings, with a series of comedic run-outs in the final overs somewhat spoiling their effort. Geoff Barnett top-scored with 41, while Jimmy Kamande (2/25) and Steve Tikolo (2/34) did the work for Kenya with the ball. Tikolo again showed his class with the bat, unbeated on 72 after Kenya rattled off the required total inside 44 overs & for the loss of just 3 wickets. What odds on Kenya carrying the Associate banner to the Super 8, I wonder?
Australia beat Scotland by 203 runs
Kenya beat Canada by 7 wickets

Thursday's matches: Sri Lanka v Bermuda in Group B, and the important one (for me, anyway), Ireland v Zimbabwe in Group D.

Apart from the Zimbabwe v Bermuda match, covered elsewhere, there were three other warm-up matched yesterday, all featuring the sides seeded 9-16: Ireland v Canada, Bangladesh v Scotland, and Kenya v Netherlands. All three went according to the seedings, so no surprises this time around.

Bangaladesh contained Scotland's scoring during the first innings and left themselves with a total of just 152 to chase, and with Habibul Bashar and Mohammad Ashraful both in good form the chase was over within 35 overs. Ireland trounced Canada after bowling them out for just 116 - Dave Langford-Smith picking up 4 wickets along the way. Ireland's bowling form has improved greatly during the warm-up games, and they'll now be seen as the best of the 5 sides who qualified through the ICC Trophy - and from a Zimbabwean point of view, that's quite worrying. Kenya maintained their winning record with a close 9-run win over Netherlands - three Dutch batsmen hit half-centuries to leave their side looking on-course for an upset, but their innings collapsed after the run-out of Ryan ten Doeschate.
Bangladesh beat Scotland by 7 wickets
Ireland beat Canada by 7 wickets
Kenya beat Netherlands by 9 runs