Cricket: Black Caps shrug off points loss

DURBAN - It's business as usual for New Zealand's cricketers, who barely batted an eyelid when told they would lose four competition points for their World Cup boycott of Kenya yesterday.

No one was surprised at the International Cricket Council's decision, made after a teleconference with its 10 full member nations and three associate members, including Kenya.

New Zealand Cricket chief executive Martin Snedden spent more than a week trying to convince the ICC that Nairobi was not safe enough for his players to go to for their match, scheduled to be played overnight.

But the ICC stood by its earlier decision that despite the threat of terrorism, security was good enough for teams to visit there, and the match would not be moved to a South African venue as Snedden requested.

That was despite detailed evidence of terrorist activity in Nairobi gained from a visit to Kenya by NZC security adviser Reg Dickason and team manager Jeff Crowe last month.

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming said the team had always aimed to qualify for the next phase without the Kenya points, which they stand to do if they beat Bangladesh - on Wednesday in Kimberley - and then Canada.

"We're not surprised, just disappointed it wasn't relocated in the first place," Fleming said.

"There's disappointment in the team that there wasn't enough evidence to shift the game, which NZC felt to the contrary.

"In the worst case scenario we were always going to lose the points, so it hasn't changed anything."

Coach Denis Aberhart said the players had never taken a vote on the issue and were happy to abide by NZC's call.

"We think NZC had a pretty good case for not going. We're not surprised. We've been focusing on the cricket and we're preparing to play Bangladesh.

"Since the issue came up we've been planning as if we wouldn't be going to Kenya and might not get the points.

"We still think we're likely to get through, and we want to control our own destiny by having two big wins."

The Kenya Cricket Association opposed NZC's request to move the match.



ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said he was happy the matter had been resolved "and the ICC World Cup can move forward".

An ICC spokesman later said: "Today's decision is the final word on the matter. NZC had representation at today's meeting and said they would not be applying to the World Cup technical committee."

Still outstanding is the issue of compensation for the ICC.

An ICC spokesman said that would be determined after the tournament.



Loss of broadcast and sponsorship income was a potential issue to be resolved in any compensation claim, he said.

"New Zealand may well have arguments it might want to mount so all that will be decided after the event."

The spokesman would not speculate on what a compensation claim might amount to, but cup organisers have previously warned New Zealand and England - who boycotted their match in Zimbabwe - that they faced multimillion-dollar bills.

Kenya Cricket Association chairman Jimmy Rayani had mixed feelings over the ICC decision.

"It is good to have four points in our bag because it gives us a fair chance of qualifying for the Super Six stage," he said.

"But earning the points is not the ultimate aim. We wanted New Zealand here so our spectators could have a chance of watching some good cricket."

- NZPA

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