Kenya cricket signs new TV deal

NAIROBI: The Kenyan cricket authorities on Saturday announced a six-year television rights agreement with Asia-based Nimbus sports to broadcast its local and international matches.   

The deal to inject about 150,000 dollars to the local sport per year comes as a boost to Cricket Kenya (CK) which has struggled to get local sponsors since being elected into office in 2005.   

"We are confident that this partnership will help take cricket in Kenya to the next level," said CK chief Samir Inamdar. Kenya joins Bangladesh and India as among the countries to sign contracts with the Singapore-based television company to broadcast their matches until after 2010.   

Nimbus Sport had earlier managed the commercial rights and television production for the Kenya-Bangladesh series played earlier this year.   

But Inamdar said the new deal would assist in financing the national cricket team's preparations for the Cricket World Cup in the West Indies in March.   

Kenya's team captain Steve Tikolo also welcomed the deal saying the players morale had hit an all-time low following the lack of long-term contracts with CK in the absence of sponsors over the last two years.