Players asked to prepare well for international matches

Tuskermalt's Casimir Gross dribble ball ahead of Primarosa's Fredd Kambo during Maria Bencivenga Trophy tournament at Nairobi Polo Club. [File, Standard]

Experienced players have been asked to take their international match against Zambia to be played at Manyatta Polo Club, Gilgil in August seriously. The 10-goal match will be played on August 22-24.

Kenya's premier player Casimir Gross said Zambia was good side and there's need for local players not to relent in the fight for top honours.

"We look forward to welcoming Zambia's full test side this year to Kenya, which will give us an opportunity for our top players to challenge themselves against another country but on home soil," he told Standard Sports.

Kenya is expected to play three international matches this year, all of them involving only men's teams.

On the six-goal international match against Zimbabwe next month, he said: "We have high hopes for them and we wish them well."

And with these matches, he said: "It's positive to continue strengthening our relationships with Zimbabwe and Zambia Polo Associations."

Gross, who is a member of Northern Kenya Polo Club in Timau, said they have had four weekends of training and that they were ready for the big duel.

He said last season was disrupted by Africa Horse Sickness, which forced Kenya Polo Association to cancel most of their programmes and that has not affected them in their quest for big things.

The international assignments follow a good harvest by the Kenyan team in Nigeria in April where they defeated Lagos Polo Club 6.5-6 in an explosive match that saw international youngster Amani Nzomo emerge as the Most Valuable Player.

And after undergoing training and playing matches in South Africa in April, upcoming star Alice Owamo is ready for the big season.

"After that extensive training where I played absolute polo in South Africa, I'm ready for the big season," said Owamo, who's a member of Nairobi Polo Club.

And experienced rider Gordon Millar said they are back to normal and ready for the big duel.

Millar, who's a member of Manyatta Polo Club said they are ready for next week's championships before the season takes a proper routine up to December. The Manyatta team has been training for the last nine weeks.