Cricket Kenya is looking for a national team coach after deciding not to offer Andy Kirsten a new contract.

Kirsten, who only took up the post in March 2008, will remain in charge until the end of July and will accompany the side when they visit Ireland for a short tour starting at the end of the month. A board official told Cricinfo that it had decided to start afresh and to seek a new coach to work with a new captain in the build-up to the 2011 World Cup.

Although Kenya qualified for that tournament at the recent ICC World Cup Qualifiers, results have not been consistent and they failed to reach the ICC World Twenty20.

A source close to the process denied reports that it was a two-horse race between Balwinder Sandhu and Alan Butcher, saying there had been a number of good-quality applicants.

Meanwhile, five players have been shortlisted in the search for someone to replace Steve Tikolo as captain. Collins Obuyo, Hiren Varaiya, Thomas Odoyo, Maurice Ouma and Jimmy Kamande will all be interviewed by the national selectors and an appointment is expected within a week.