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Kenyan officials have said they were willing to host Zimbabwe in a series of one-day internationals after the country withdrew from Test cricket for the next 12 months.

“We are prepared to play Zimbabwe in March,” said the Cricket Kenya (CK) chairman Samir Inamdar. “We have already talked with Zimbabwe with the view of having their team come here before we leave for Bangladesh.” The proposed itinerary is set to involve three ODIs.

The tour of Bangladesh, which may also involve Zimbabwe will start on March 10. The Kenyans are also scheduled to play three one-day internationals against their hosts during the tournament, which has been organised through the initiative of the ICC.

Last week, the interim committee of Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) announced they would not play any more Tests in 2006 although they were still committed to honouring their one-day commitments. It is likely that one of the conditions placed on Zimbabwe was that they play matches against the likes of Kenya and Bangladesh during the following year.

Roger Harper, former West Indies cricket coach, has been appointed as Kenya’s new coach, replacing Andy Moles who quit almost a year ago, world’s cricket body ICC has announced.

Harper, who will spearhead Kenya’s preparations for the 2007 World Cup, quit as manager of the West Indies Under-19 side last week, said ICC in a press release received here Wednesday.

He was recently short listed for the Kenya post after a number of candidates, including a former coach of a test-playing side, were interviewed by the Kenyan Cricket Association (KCA) and the ICC.

“It was a tough decision, but I am looking forward to the challenge, looking forward to getting back on the coaching circuit with Kenya,” Harper said.

“I’m delighted and very excited at the opportunity to work with a Kenya side that has a fair amount of talent. My objectives now are to get the best out of individual players and the team as a whole and to move Kenyan cricket forward.” (more…)

Bangladesh are expected to confirm reports that they will host a three-match one-day series against Kenya in February when the Bangladesh Cricket Board meets on Friday.

“The board is planning to host the African nation for three ODIs before Bangladesh’s home series against Sri Lanka, but things have not yet been finalised,” a board official told Reuters. “We had a meeting to discuss preparation of the venues ahead of the Sri Lanka series and some other important issues,” explained joint-secretary Rafiqul Islam Babu. “But we have to wait until the general secretary returns from Singapore after treatment.”

It had been Bangladesh’s intention to host a tri-series involving Kenya and Zimbabwe, but overtures to the Zimbabwe board from both the BCB and the ICC have remained unanswered. Given Zimbabwe’s Cricket’s current state of near anarchy, it seems unlikely that they would have been able to raise a side anyway.

A provisional itinerary, suggested by the ICC, would see Kenya arrive on February 4 with the three matches on February 10, 13 and 16.

Since playing in the World Cup semi-final in 2003, Kenya have taken part in only five ODIs, the last being 16 months ago in the ICC Champions Trophy. The Kenyan Cricket Association have been lobbying the ICC to get more fixtures, and the ICC are known to have been working hard behind the scenes to help them.