Peter Kirsten heads to Kenya as batting coach

Former South African international Peter Kirsten has left his role as Jersey coach to take up a short-term role as batting consultant with Kenya. He has said he became frustrated with some of his players during the World Cricket League Division 4 tournament in Dar Es Salaam.

Kirsten will miss Jersey's final match to join his brother, Andy, on Kenya's coaching staff. In the near future, Kenya play Ireland in the ICC Intercontinental Cup (starting today), a triangular ODI series with Zimbabwe and Ireland, and two ODIs against South Africa.

"The Board would like to thank 'PK' for successfully coaching Jersey through WCL Division 5 and European Division 2 this year and he goes to Kenya with our best wishes," said a statement from the Jersey Cricket Board.

However, Kirsten's departure doesn't appear to have happened on completely agreeable terms, with him saying he was unhappy with of the players' attitudes in Tanzania.

"This tournament has been frustrating but mostly disappointing at the reaction and response from some of the better players that I thought would do much better here," Kirsten said. "The self-belief wasn't there.

"They didn't think they could go further than Division four," he added. "I don't believe that's true. They can all play a lot better than that. Maybe I put a little too much pressure on the guys, but I certainly believed they could have gone through to Division Three and certainly not finish fifth.

"Some of the guys have admitted that they didn't think they were good enough. It's definitely a pity, but they'll have to work on the mental side of their game."

Jersey have been relegated to Division Five of the WCL, to be held in 2010. They play fellow relegates Fiji on Saturday.