Juniors ready for World Cup

Jackie Janmohamed(in blue dress)chairman cricket Kenya present sports kit to Under 19 crickets players,Sachin Bluidia captian(second left)Maxwell Ager,Aman Gandhi,Rene and their coach Jimmy Kamande(Left)at Simba union on 22nd December 2017.[Edward Kiplimo,Standard]

After months of intensified training, the national Under-19 cricket team members are now ready to battle for top honours at next year's International Cricket Council (ICC) Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand.

The young cricketers who broke their ten-day residential camp yesterday will leave Kenya on Friday for Australia where they will play two friendly matches against Sydney Thunder in preparation for the championship.

While in Australia they will also get a chance to have a feel of high profile cricket competitions when they watch the annual Big Bash League. 

They will also play two warm up matches in New Zealand before they launch their title quest against South Africa on Day Two of the championship which runs from January 13 to 3 February.

Kenya were drawn in a tough Group A which has defending champions West Indies and New Zealand. Kenya are returning to the junior global event after a 16-year absence. 

The national Under-19 team coach Jimmy Kamande was confident that his charges have improved since they qualified in July. "The ten-day residential camp has been beneficial because it has given us an opportunity to improve. We have been training hard since we qualified and the players have shown intention to perform well at the World Cup," Kamande said.

Kamande returns to the event as a coach having featured for Kenya as a player. "I have confidence in my players and I look forward to seeing them launch their careers because it all starts at the age group events," he said.

Cricket Kenya chair Jackie Janmohammed gave her blessings to the team telling them to give their best and make the country proud.