New Kenya coach Andy Moles is hoping to bring more professionalism, discipline and enjoyment as the East Africans look to build on an impressive World Cup campaign. Englishman Moles, who played county cricket for Warwickshire and has recently coached South African provincial side Free State, took his first training session in Nairobi on Monday. Predecessor Sandeep Patil returned home to India after making Kenya the first non-Test-playing nation to reach the second round of the World Cup.
They went on to reach the semi-finals, beating Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh on the way.
"If we can be professional in everything we do, in our preparations, in the way we play the game and if we enjoy ourselves, I think we can achieve our goals," Moles said.
"The players must all improve in their own individual ways, improve the team and really that's what I'm looking at."
Moles' role also includes work in youth cricket and in establishing a league structure but he may be hampered by a lack of national contracts - the previous ones expired in June.
"The Kenya Cricket Association told us they are hoping to get a sponsorship contract done by the end of the month and meanwhile have asked that we get on with training," captain Steve Tikolo said. "But if we are not getting money to pay our bills, it will be difficult to assemble a team."
MMIX
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Kenyan cricket has much natural talent but it's going to take blood, sweat and tears to develop it 