BBC SPORT | CRICKET | ICC offers minnows step up

The four non-Test-playing nations involved in next year's World Cup will be given a hand to prepare for their big day in a tournament in Namibia next month.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) Six-Nations Challenge will take place in Namibian capital Windhoek from 5 to 15 April, the ICC confirmed on Tuesday.

The Challenge will give the players an opportunity to prepare as thoroughly as possible

ICC coach
Bob Woolmer

Canada, Holland, and Namibia, who all qualified for the World Cup through last year's ICC Trophy for associate members, will all take part.

Joining them are Kenya, who have one-day international but not Test status, and A teams from Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.

"The Challenge gives the qualifiers for next year's ICC Cricket World Cup an unprecedented opportunity to prepare for the biggest event of their cricket careers," ICC President Malcolm Gray said.

"Each of the players will gain invaluable experience of the playing conditions and competition rules in an intense week of match play and coaching."

Specialist coaches

The tournament will be watched over by former South Africa coach Bob Woolmer as part of the ICC's $1 million High Performance Program, which aims to bridge the gap Test nations and the next rung.

ICC high performance manager Bob Woolmer
Bob Woolmer will oversee the action in Windhoek
Alongside Woolmer, will be a team of specialist coaches, including former England all-rounder Dermot Reeve, sports psychologist Clinton Gahweiler and eye specialist Sheryl Calder.

Wasim Raja, recently appointed to the new ICC Referees Panel, will be the tournament referee.

And officials from the participating nations will be joined by ICC elite umpire Rudy Koertzen.

"The Challenge will give the players an opportunity to prepare as thoroughly as possible for next year's World Cup," said Woolmer.

"They will be playing in coloured clothing, using white balls and playing under exactly the same match conditions.

"We have also been strict in terms of administrative requirements so that nothing next year comes as a surprise."

Tournament schedule:

7 April:
Canada v Holland
Sri Lanka A v Namibia
Zimbabwe A v Kenya

8 April:
Canada v Kenya
Holland v Sri Lanka A
Namibia v Zimbabwe A

10 April:
Zimbabwe A v Sri Lanka A
Canada v Namibia
Holland v Kenya

11 April:
Canada v Zimbabwe A
Holland v Namibia
Kenya v Sri Lanka A

13 April:
Canada v Sri Lanka A
Namibia v Kenya
Holland v Zimbabwe A

14 April: Final


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