SPIN bowling will be a match-winning factor in the International Cricket Council Trophy in Kenya next February and March, according to Indian Test great Mohinder Amarnath. The 43-year-old Amarnath, who played the last of his 69 Test matches in 1988 and who retired from first-class cricket two years ago, is coaching Bangladesh on their four-match tour of Hong Kong. Their visit to the territory is part of their build-up to the ICC Trophy, which begins on Saturday, February 12, and ends on Sunday, March 6. Bangladesh have been drawn in Group B with the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Argentina and East Africa and are one of the favourites to clinch one of the three qualifying places for the 1996 World Cup limited overs competition in Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka. Speaking yesterday at the Hong Kong Cricket Club, where his side began their four-match schedule with a convincing six-wicket win over a Hong Kong Cricket Association Invitational XI, Amarnath said: ''I am very hopeful they will do well and qualify for the World Cup because they are a sincere lot and are working hard on their game. ''I think the basic strength of the squad is the bowling. We have good seamers and good spinners and good variety. ''They still have to work on their batting but this will come good as we get nearer the tournament. ''We have been to India twice and, after this visit to Hong Kong, we will have a short tour to Pakistan and then entertain the Pakistani Test team on their way to New Zealand. ''We will leave Bangladesh for Nairobi on January 26 and this will give us two weeks to prepare in their conditions. ''I believe Kenya has good wickets for one-day cricket. Knowing the conditions over there it will help the seamers in the first hour or so and then it will be a batting wicket, so I feel the spinners will do well.'' Hong Kong have picked only one spinner in their 14, although there are two places still vacant. The selectors will use the three international matches against Bangladesh, starting today at the Kowloon Cricket Club, to help them finalise the 16-strong squad. Bangladesh have brought 13 players to Hong Kong and most of them are regarded as certainties to be included in their 16-strong squad. In the 45-over match at Wong Nai Chung Gap Road yesterday, the Hong Kong selection - captained by Bangladesh-born Rizwan Farouq - suffered an early blow after being put into bat. With the total on 12 in the fifth over of a damp, cold morning, Hong Kong lost in-form Templars opener Rahul Sharma before he had troubled the scorers, caught behind by wicketkeeper Jahangir Alam off the bowling of Nowsher Prince. Several batsmen got in but got out to a combination of rash shots and good catching, with skipper Farouq top-scoring on 38. All seven Bangladesh bowlers took a wicket as Hong Kong lost their way in the middle order, posting a modest score of 183 all out in 43.4 overs. Opening bowlers Andy Foley and David Crowe proved to be the Bangladeshis' liking as their 12 overs were dispatched for 67 runs in an opening stand of 83 between Athar Ali Khan and wicketkeeper Jahangir. Off-spinner Jawaid Iqbal, called into the side after impressive displays for the Merchants Cricket Club on Saturdays and for the Pakistan Association on Sundays, conceded just 22 runs off his allotted nine overs and took the wicket of Selim Shahed.
