IF BERMUDA’S cricketers felt uncomfortable on their last trip to Nairobi in November, there’s nothing to suggest they should feel any different this time around.

On the 2006 tour, some of the players heard gunfire right outside the hotel only to learn later that a man had been shot dead.

This time, just two days after their arrival, news emerged on Saturday of two American women shot and killed as they sat in their car on the outskirts of Nairobi.

Victims of a gang car-jacking — not uncommon in these parts — the mother, who worked for the US Embassy, and her daughter who was visiting, apparently hesitated when ordered to get out of the car. Shots were reportedly fired through the windscreen and their bodies dragged out onto the road.

Two men with them were also apparently injured as well as police officers who were fired upon when they gave chase.

The story didn’t make front page headlines in Sunday’s papers. It was buried inside.

Perhaps the media were attempting to protect Kenya’s fragile tourist industry or, far more likely, incidents of this nature are frequent enough that they no longer command blanket coverage.

Either way, the murders will have done little to reassure the hundreds of players, officials, administrators and media here for this week’s World Cricket League that Nairobi is a safe haven for such a major sporting event.

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BERMUD> umpire Roger Dill will be hoping his performance in the middle this week is better than that of the Island’s players.

At stake could be a place in this year’s World Cup.

Traditionally at the World Cup, countries who have qualified are also asked to provide an umpire.

But so far the ICC have announced only that their elite panel will be on duty when matches get underway throughout the Caribbean in March.

Other officials, however, will be required and Dill recognises that if he can make an impression this week his name could be pencilled in for the big event.

He began his quest yesterday, officiating the match between Scotland and Ireland alongside Darrel Harper.

* * * K>Team<$> manager Lionel Tannock probably knows his way around Nairobi Airport better than anyone.

On the squad’s last trip in November, he made almost daily visits during the first week attempting to locate several items of luggage that had gone missing on the journey over via London.

This week he’s again been back and forth from the hotel, trying to find a suitcase belonging to Stephen Outerbridge.

Thankfully, it finally showed up on Monday, allowing the young opener to enjoy a change of clothes.

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<$> many supporters of Bermuda cricket follow their national team around the world.

A half dozen, perhaps, made the trip to Ireland when they qualified for the World Cup in 2005, just two were on hand to watch them compete in the Intercontinental Cup and Tri-Series matches in Kenya and South Africa last year, and on this tour there’s just one.

Cricket fanatic Robert (Ice) Smith has become a familiar figure in his Bermuda tracksuit, waving a huge Bermuda flag as he marches around the perimeter of the pitch shouting encouragement.

But even his enthusiasm was dampened by Bermuda’s comprehensive ten-wicket defeat to the hosts at the Jaffrey’s Sports Ground on Monday.

His flag jammed into the turf just outside the boundary ropes, Ice sat glumly under a tree, head in hands, perhaps contemplating whether his 8,000 mile expedition had been worth the bother.

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BERA<$> Cricket Board pronounced proudly last week how they’d be offering ball-by-ball coverage of this week’s World One-Day League games on their website.

Anyone who glanced at that site on Monday during the match against Kenya will be aware it didn’t quite work out that way.

But they weren’t the only ones unable to fulfil their promise. Cricinfo and CricketEurope, who regularly provide ball-by-ball coverage of international games, also found themselves left out in the cold.

A local internet server who had promised to provide service at all of the grounds this week failed to deliver.

Indeed, the only media ‘online’ during the first half of game was The Royal Gazette.

Having anticipated problems following the trip to Kenya in November, this correspondent made alternative plans for internet service . . . and it paid dividends.

Regular updates of all Bermuda’s games can be found on www.royalgazette.com.