Kenyan players head for court

Kenyan cricket lurched into crisis on Thursday after players said they would challenge in court a decision to sack 11 of the national team.

The Kenya Cricket Association dismissed the players, including captain Maurice Odumbe, on Wednesday, accusing them of holding the national body to ransom by demanding more money.

A two-month tour of India and Bangladesh, due to start next week, was also cancelled.

An attorney's letter on behalf of 17 team members, including top batsman Steve Tikolo who was not sacked, was delivered to the KCA on Thursday asking for copies of the players' contracts and the body's constitution.

Odumbe said he is determined to take the matter through the courts until justice is done.

"What they have done is illegal," he said. "It just does not make sense."

Asked whether the stance taken by the players may have jeopardised any chance of reconciliation, KCA secretary general Anil Sarkar replied: "Absolutely."

TIKOLO'S FATE

Sarkar said the KCA would meet to discuss Tikolo's fate as soon as its chairman, Jimmy Rayani, returned from an International Cricket Council meeting in Melbourne.

"He is in breach of contract," he said. "We will meet as soon as possible to discuss what will happen to him."

Tikolo said on Wednesday he would not play for Kenya again unless his colleagues are reinstated.

Letters were sent to the 11 players telling them they had been sacked for threatening not to play in two one-day matches against Sri Lanka A in Mombasa last month.

"Your above-mentioned conduct and actions were and are in serious and substantial breach of your obligations under the contract between yourself and KCA ... entitling KCA to serious action against you," the letters said.

"Your contract with KCA is hereby cancelled forthwith. In addition to the above, please note KCA reserves the right to call you for disciplinary action."

Odumbe said the letter was "laughable", saying the demands made before the Sri Lanka matches -- medical cover, a better salary and a larger appearance fee -- were not unreasonable.

Odumbe said some players on the side received less than 20,000 shillings ($250) a month.

Kenya is one of 11 countries with one-day international status.

The side made headlines in 1996 when they beat the West Indies in a World Cup match in Pune. They have also beaten India but a large gulf between Kenya and the Test-playing nations remains.

Mail Cricket Editor