KENYA: PAKISTAN AND AUSTRALIAN TEAMS PRACTICE FOR THE TRI- NATIONS CRICKET TOURNAMENT

Record ID: 343178

  • Title: KENYA: PAKISTAN AND AUSTRALIAN TEAMS PRACTICE FOR THE TRI- NATIONS CRICKET TOURNAMENT
  • Date: 28th August 2002
  • Summary: NAIROBI, KENYA (AUGUST 28, 2002) (REUTERS) 1. WIDE OF PAKISTAN TEAM TRAINING 2. CLOSE UP OF THE PAKISTAN TEAM AT THE TRAINING GROUNDS 3. PAKISTAN TEAM SITTED ON GRASS DURING TRAINING 4. CLOSE UP TEAM MEMBERS TALKING 5. PAKISTAN TEAM MEMBER 6. WIDE OF TRAINING GROUNDS 7. VARIOUS OF THE PAKISTAN TEAM PRAC
  • Embargoed: 12th September 2002 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NAIROBI, KENYA
  • Country: Kenya
  • Reuters ID: LVA1KVBNUHPO87GDNITWXJQEGQ3B
  • Story Text: The three teams taking part in the Pakistan tri-nations
    tournament looked confident during practice and their coaches
    and captains told reporters that their respective teams were
    raring to go, for the cricket which starts on Thursday 29th
    August in the Kenyan capital Nairobi.



    The competition was moved from Pakistan to Kenya after
    security fears in that country. Reuters Television visited the
    respective teams at their various training grounds and found a
    relaxed atmosphere on a sunny day.

    Ricky Ponting leads cricket test and limited overs
    champions Australia into the triangular one-day tournament due
    to start in the Kenyan capital on Thursday.

    Ponting, who is one-day captain, and his deputy, Adam
    Gilchrist, are part of the 14-man squad that are hot
    favourites to win the trophy against Pakistan and Kenya.

    Australia jetted into the Kenyan capital on Tuesday,
    having come off one of their longest breaks from international
    cricket in almost a decade.

    On the issue of coming off the long break, Australian coach
    Allan Border said:
    "From the Australian sides point of view we've come off a
    good weeks break of work, everyone is very fresh , ready to go
    - but sometimes it just takes a while to get into a sort of
    tournament mode, but we'll soon find out on Friday how we are
    going. Hit the ground running I hope."
    They will be trying to avoid a repeat of their previous
    visit to the east African country, in October 2000, when India
    knocked them out in the first match of the ICC Knock Out
    Trophy.

    Australian Captain Ricky Ponting also said his team is ready
    after the break, "We are certainly going to be keen
    enough, we've had a couple of months off without cricket and
    we worked really hard in Brisbane. We've had a good session
    today, so we are looking forward to friday coming around, just
    getting out there and actually playing some cricket again."
    Pakistan captain Waqar Younis was impressed by the
    improvements made to the grounds and was looking forward to
    Thursdays opening match.

    "It's been improved a lot, and wickets look better so
    hopefully in the next couple of weeks things will be pretty
    good." He said at the presser
    Allan Border replaced John Buchanan as the team coach after
    the latter sustained a back injury last weekend at the team's
    training camp in Brisbane.

    Pakistan, who will use the tournament as their home series
    following security concerns in Lahore, arrived in Nairobi last
    Friday.

    But their hopes of making amends for their poor
    performance in the Morocco Cup last week suffered a serious
    setback when team management sent right-hand batsman Yousuf
    Youhana back home
    on Tuesday. The reason for Youhana's dismissal was not
    immediately clear.

    Ponting has introduced youngster Shane Watson to the team
    giving him an all-rounder's cap.

    Twenty-year-old Queensland spinner Nathan Hauritz will be
    expected to confirm his arrival as a valuable one-day
    performer.

    Captain Waqar Younis admitted Pakistan failed to live up
    to their potential in Morocco after the middle order
    collapsed. Pakistan finished last, while Sri Lanka beat South
    Africa by 27 runs to win.

    Kenyan coach Sandip Patil said they want to keep up the tempo
    and was grateful for the chance to play world champions at
    home.

    "We don't get very many opportunities to play against the
    big boys, like the great test playing countries. This is our
    God sent opportunity for the Kenyans and it's up to us to take
    this opportunity." Said Patil.

    The tournament opens on Thursday with Kenya playing
    Pakistan.


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