The Africans want to reach the semifinal or final four and they hope by doing so, they would nudge the International Cricket Council (ICC) on their readiness to play Test cricket by 2005.

Manager/coach Andy Moles said despite not playing much cricket since their surprising progress to the World Cup semifinal last year, they will bank on natural ability to perform well on their Caribbean tour.

Kenya, who arrived in Antigua over the weekend to prepare for Friday's start of the competition, defeated 1996 winners Sri Lanka in the preliminary round in the premier one-day tournament in South Africa last year.

But Moles said since that tournament they have only played nine days of cricket, which consisted of four matches in Sharjah and a brief visit from Sri Lanka in mid-2003.

"We have not had much cricket since the World Cup," said the former English County player, who was a member of the Warwickshire team when West Indies captain Brian Lara scored a first-class world record 501 not out in 1994.

"It is something the team really missed. The opportunity to come to the Caribbean and play in all sorts of conditions ... will be a great learning opportunity for them.

"It is an opportunity they are all looking forward to. It is going to be a great learning curve. We just want to be competitive. If we can be competitive and play good cricket, it all goes toward our (bid) to play Test cricket in 2005. Obviously the way we perform in this competition will be closely followed by the ICC I'm sure.

"It is great news we are here. We are very hungry and we can't wait to get (on the field) and start playing."

Moles said they have prepared at home as best as they could.

"We have been working amongst ourselves. We have played some three-day cricket amongst the squad. We have been hampered by the rainy season in Kenya. So we are short of match practice."

Kenya will oppose a West Indies 'B' side in their opening match of the regional tournament in St Kitts from Friday.

Moles is backing his players' "natural ability" to do well against their Caribbean opposition.

"We have got some fantastic natural ability in our cricket team. It is just that they have got to learn and it will be a great challenge for them to apply themselves to the longer version of the game.

"I'm going to challenge the players that they have got an opportunity to show what they can do.

"We have come here and we make no bones about it we want to get through the semi-final stages. A lot of people say that will be difficult but we have some good players."

The Kenyans are without one of their key players, medium pacer Thomas Odoyo, who had a knee operation recently.

"It is unfortunate for Thomas and undoubtedly we would have been a stronger side (with him). He opened the bowling for us in the World Cup and he batted at number six. His misfortune means that we have brought along the captain of the Under-19’s Rageb Aga. He will have an opportunity to show whether he is going to be good enough," Moles said.

Captain Steve Tikolo said the visit to the West Indies gives his players a chance to display their quality.

"It is an opportunity for us to show what we can do on the cricket field. Kenya has been in one-day cricket for sometime now and I think it is time now for us to go a step higher and play the longer version."

The Kenyans are ranked 10th in the ICC's One-Day rankings, one ahead of Bangladesh, who already have Test status.