By James Waindi

Cricket Kenya chairman, Samir Inamdar, has quelled fears of a disappointing tournament after Kenya landed the group of death for the 2011 World Cup in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Kenya, who reached the 2003 World Cup semi-finals in South Africa, have this time landed a date with the champions, Australia, who won the Champions Trophy in South Africa, Twenty20 world champions Pakistan, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Zimbabwe and Canada.

Inamdar said the tag of group of death no longer existed in sports as participants at the World Cup are equally tough.

"I think the weight in the groupings is balanced. There is no way you can say Group B which has India, England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Ireland and Netherlands is any easier," said Inamdar.

Meanwhile, opening batsman Vusi Sibanda’s career-best, unbeaten 185 kept the Zimbabwe XI on even terms with Kenya after the Intercontinental Cup match appeared to be slipping away from them.

Sibanda held the innings together as his team-mates came and went, but eventually found a stable partner in Regis Chakabva who finished the day unbeaten on 67.

Kenya added four runs to their overnight total to finish their innings on 333 runs before they began making inroads into the Zimbabwe batting. Chamu Chibhabha fell second ball and Friday Kasteni only managed 9. Wickets continued to fall steadily to a mixture of pace and spin and at 178 for 7 a significant deficit was on the cards.

Sibanda began as virtually a one-man show, but Chakabva soon settled and Kenya’s bowlers, for so long in control, began to find the going a lot tougher.