Kenya to demand points from New Zealand tie

Published February 17, 2003

NAIROBI, Feb 16: Kenyan cricket chiefs will demand the points from their World Cup Group ‘B’ match against New Zealand, which their opponents want switched to South Africa because of security concerns.

New Zealand have asked for the game on Feb 21 to be moved from Nairobi as they are worried about the team’s safety following a November terrorist attack in the coastal resort of Mombasa that killed 16 people.

“As far as we are concerned, we simply want our four points. There should be no question of moving the match to another venue,” Sharad Ghai, the chairman of the World Cup Organising Committee in Kenya, said on Sunday.

“We have upgraded the security to befit any visiting head of state, including the American President. All this has been confirmed by the security agency advising the International Cricket Council (ICC).”

Sri Lanka have said they will honour their Group ‘B’ fixture in Nairobi on Feb 24, the only other World Cup match scheduled to take place in Kenya.

World Cup organisers refused to switch England’s game against Zimbabwe in Harare on Feb 13, awarding the points to the hosts after weeks of wrangling between the ICC and the England Wales Cricket Board (ECB).—Reuters