Trophy in Kenya have proved too much for the Panafric hotel where they are staying.

Two days into the Nairobi tournament the hotel water supply packed up, unable to cope with the demands of 350 cricketers.

When it was eventually restored, dozens of open taps spluttered into life leaving the corridors as sodden as the Nairobi pitches, already victims of unseasonal rain.

The teams' whites have also proved a headache for the hotel laundry.

"We'd not played a game in the tournament proper and already nobody had any of the kit they started with,'' said Ireland's Michael Rea. "That wasn't so bad, but I put three casual shirts in the wash and they came back in Mark Cohen's bag with "MARK' written in ink on the collars.'' The hotel staff can expect little respite before next month. The tournament continues until March 6.

The United States posted its first victory in the ICC Trophy tournament yesterday with a convincing win over East and Central Africa.

The United States coasted to a nine-wicket victory and will face Bangladesh in a key game tomorrow.

In other games, Papua New Guinea beat Malaysia by 36 runs and Ireland disposed of Gibraltar. Hong Kong defeated Fiji, and the United Arab Emirates topped Argentina.

In reply to East and Central Africa's 105 all out, the United States made 106 for one within 15 overs. Ed Lewis struck 68 not out, which included three sixes, and Tex Texeira knocked up a quick 25, also not out. In the field, wicket-keeper R.Denny took five catches.

The pace of R.Benjamin and A.Howard was too much for the Africans, who really could not get going, though they saw the first six overs off without loss.

Bermuda, winners of their first two games against West Africa and Hong Kong, play Fiji tomorrow.