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Kenya’s cricketers will each receive a cash payment of 5,000 dollars for their efforts in winning the World Cricket League title here this month, officials said on Tuesday.

The payment is the highest since the players, who have been going without salaries for months, will earn since their participation in the last World Cup in South Africa.

The money is part of the 250,000 dollars (17.5 million shillings) granted to the winner and runner-up of the World Cricket League Division one tournament as their participation fee for the inaugural International Cricket Council (ICC) Twenty20 World Championships in South Africa in September.

Although much of the money will go into the development of the game in the country, the national team captain Steve Tikolo said the players deserved to be paid more for their efforts.

Some 15 Kenyan players have now been on payroll since the sport’s authorities cancelled their contracts three years ago after sponsors pulled out. Most say they have been relying on handouts to survive.

Kenyan selectors kept confidence with the same side that won the World Cricket league for the World Cup starting in the Caribbean on March 13.

Kenya will play in Group C along with Canada, England and New Zealand. The team will also feature in two warm-up matches against the West Indies on March 5 and the Netherlands on March 8 in Jamaica.

Source:The News