Kenya face Scotland in final match

Kenya will take place Scotland in the World Cricket League Division One final on Wednesday after the hosts beat Canada by 158 runs in Nairobi.

The Scots, who had already qualified, surprisingly lost their first match, going down by five wickets against Bermuda.

"We are as well prepared as we can be, given that we have played two back-to-back games and have just one day off before the final, " Kenyan coach Roger Harper said on the eve of the match.

"However we feel from a physical perspective, I'm sure Scotland will be feeling the same," Harper added.

He is not concerned about recent results between the sides and reckons the teams will start on a level playing field on Wednesday. "We know a lot about each other because we played twice in Mombasa and once here," said the former West Indies international.

"We have to do it all again in the final. It will be all about how well each of us play on that particular day. But I think as a team what we want to focus on is really just playing as well as we are capable of playing and executing our plans," said Harper.

"That is not something we're going to focus on. We're going to try to execute our plans much better than we did last time and play to the best of our ability and I think if we do that we've got a very good chance."

Harper is pleased with the progress his side has made since his appointment as coach.

"I think it's fantastic for Kenyan cricket on the whole and for the players. Since I have been here last January I know that they have worked very hard. I have pushed them hard," he said.

"At least they've come away with something, they can see some rewards for their efforts. I think with the funds that are coming because of qualifying for the final here and the Twenty20 World Cup, it means that the development of Kenyan cricket can move ahead."

Scotland have come through some tough examinations to reach the final, especially their one-run nail-biter against Ireland.

Well led by Craig Wright, whose ten wickets have cost under 19 each, Scotland's batting has been solid and reliable with Gavin Hamilton nudging and nurdling three fifties and the new, Majid Haq showing encouraging consistency with bat and ball.

Both sides have already secured places at the inaugural ICC Twenty20 World Championships later this year by virtue of reaching the final, but batsman Majid Haq isn't satisfied yet.

"It's good to know that we've already done the hard work. But is a huge final for us. We are determined to win it and take the trophy back home.It will be the fourth meeting between the sides in the space of a month," said Haq.

The Kenyans had the edge at the two encounters in January's Mombasa tri-series but the Scots got their revenge with a 77-run win at Gymkhana on Sunday.

Scotland coach Peter Drinnen said he does not plan any drastic changes to the game plan, which saw his side overcome the Kenyans on Sunday.

"It (the approach) will be similar. I thought we got a lot right against them previously and we learned a lot from our games in Mombasa," said Drinnen.

"I don't see too many reasons why we need to change what we do. We need to maybe adjust a couple of areas and we'll talk about that tonight, but generally the guys executed what we wanted to execute very well."

Source: Xinhua