THE International Cricket Council (ICC) recommended yesterday that Kenya and Bangladesh qualify automatically for the 2003 World Cup in SA. Ali Bacher, chairman of ICC’s development committee, said because the two countries had full one-day international status it made no sense to take them through the qualifying rounds in Canada in 2001. “There is terrific potential here and the very latest they can join full test status is 2007 so it does not make sense to ask them to go to Toronto for the ICC Trophy to qualify for the World Cup,” Bacher said in Nairobi. “By according them one-day international status in 1997 the ICC recognised this potential, my committee strongly recommends they get automatic entry to the 2003 World Cup.” A decision will be made in London next June. Bacher said recommendations had been made for Zimbabwe and Kenya to host some 2003 World Cup matches. “This will raise the profile of the game in these countries,” he said. Bacher said qualification for Kenya and Bangladesh would see 14 teams, instead of 12, in 2003.