Kenya’s World Cup team will spend the day at the Nairobi Gymkhana Club on Friday for their scheduled game against New Zealand — even if the Kiwis fail to show up.
”Technically, we would have turned up at the ground on the day for the match,” said Sharad Ghai, chairman of World cup organising committee in Kenya.
”As far as we are concerned, we will be honouring the fixture as drawn up by the organising committee in South Africa,” Ghai said. Ghai said that if New Zealand goes ahead and boycotts the game, Kenya would demand its right to be awarded four points.
The New Zealand team have insisted they will not play in Nairobi because of their fears over security and their appeal to have the game switched to South Africa will be heard by the International Cricket Council (ICC) later on Thursday.
With the assistance of the South African government, Kenya has mounted one of the biggest security operations in its history for the two World cup matches in the country — Sri Lanka are due to play here on February 24.
Over the last one month, South African security experts have been organising joint training operations with Kenyan police to ensure maximum security. Kenya’s decision to insist on being awarded the four points was intensified when the country’s Sports Minister Najib Balala wrote a protest letter to the ICC.
”Everything has been put in place for the security of our visitors and all Kenyans. Therefore, there is no reason why we should not be awarded the four points,” Balala said after inspecting the venue on Wednesday. Kenya has insisted it will not bow to pressure to move the game to South Africa.
KCA put at $70 000 the cost of upgrading Nairobi Gymkhana Club and providing security and accomodation for the New Zealand and Sri Lanka players.
He said Kenya, a non-Test playing nation, had requested a grant from the ICC, but the money has not been forthcoming. ”We have been told that since New Zealand are not coming, the amount may be reduced to $28 000, which is not enough,” Ghai
noted.
”We do not want to be left to settle a huge bill over a period of 20 years.” – Sapa-AFP