Kenya captain calls on ICC to defuse sacking crisis

Kenya captain Maurice Odumbe appealed on Friday to the International Cricket Council (ICC) to intervene in a dispute between players and the Kenya Cricket Association (KCA).

The KCA dismissed 11 players - including Odumbe - on Wednesday, accusing them of holding the national body to ransom by demanding more money. It also cancelled a two-month tour of India and Bangladesh due to begin next week.

The players said on Thursday that they would challenge the sackings in court.

Odumbe said he hoped the game's world governing body could put pressure on the KCA to back down, warning that any replacements who were brought in would be unable to compete on the world stage.

"I think the ICC should intervene," he said.

"They should look at how cricket is being run here. Kenya wants to be a test-playing nation. Is this the way to go about it?"

The ICC said the matter would be raised informally at its board meeting this week in Melbourne, although the crisis would be treated as a domestic matter until the facts were studied in more detail.

"It is going to be discussed in Melbourne but on an informal basis and not as part of the agenda," said the ICC spokesman Ian Barber

Odumbe, who the KCA has accused of masterminding threats by the Kenyan team to boycott a match against Sri Lanka A last month if a number of demands were not met, said he had heard he could face a life ban from domestic cricket.

"The chances are they will go for my head, I know that for a fact," he said.

"Have I fixed matches to warrant that? I have only spoken on behalf of the team."

He also said many players were now looking for contracts to play cricket abroad since most of the team did not have a domestic side to play for and would be unlikely to find one in the present circumstances.

The players want medical coverage, a better salary and a larger appearance fee.

Odumbe said one player who had played in the 1996 World Cup earned just 15,000 shillings ($190) a month.

"We want to be heard," he said.

"We are just crying out to people. Please understand us. We are not bad. We are just looking to put food on the table."

Top batsman Steve Tikolo, who was not sacked but has refused to play again unless his colleagues are reinstated, accused the KCA of high-handedness.

"At one time, some of the players were told to thank cricket because, if it was not for cricket, they would have been beggars and shoe shiners," he said, flanked by 13 other members of the squad.

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

Mail Cricket Editor