KINGSTON (Jamaica), Jan 10: Former West Indies cricket coach Roger Harper said he will manage Kenya to 2007 World Cricket Cup in the Caribbean. Harper last week resigned as manager of West Indies under-19 team, after less than a month in the job.

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

He will depart for Nairobi later this month to “establish a framework for the future” of Kenyan cricket.

Kenya does not have Test status, but has an automatic place at Cricket World Cups after reaching semifinals of 2003 tournament in South Africa - beating 1996 champions Sri Lanka along the way.

Since then, internal problems, retirements and corruption investigations have hit Kenyan cricket hard.

Nor have players been helped by competing in just five one-day internationals since 2003 World Cup.

Now, Kenyan Cricket Association is seeking more matches, and Bangladesh are lining up three possible fixtures for February.

Harper coached West Indies from 2000 to end of 2003 World Cup. During his tenure, the team won nine and lost 19 of 39 Tests.—PPI