The ICC World Cricket League has been created to provide regular global one-day cricket opportunities to those countries outside the Test playing world.

The inaugural ICC World Cricket League Division One event took place in Nairobi in January 2007, part of a multi-tiered event which will provide competitive one-day cricket for the sport's developing nations.

Bermuda, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands and Scotland joined the host nation Kenya in this event in which all the matches had official ODI status. It proved to be a resounding success, with some outstanding cricket played, and brought unprecedented media attention to the leading Associate member countries.

As well as being timed to provide the vital preparation ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup, the two leading sides from the event which reached the Final, Kenya and Scotland, gained qualification for the ICC World Twenty20 2007.

Kenya defeated Scotland comprehensively in the final by eight wickets, avenging an earlier defeat in the Group stage to the same opposition.

There were several thrilling finishes including Kenya's one wicket win over Ireland, which saw the last pair put on 55 to complete an astonishing comeback, Scotland's remarkable victory over the Netherlands, where it took three wickets in the final over, and a last-ball win for Scotland over Ireland.

In the ICC World Cricket League Division Three in Darwin, Australia, in mid-2007, Uganda secured the title when it defeated Argentina by 91 runs.

The top four teams from the ICC World Cricket League Division Two, who were Oman, UAE, Namibia and Denmark, will go forward to the ICC Cricket World Cup qualifier in the UAE in 2009.

Afghanistan and Jersey, who hosted the event, were the top two teams at the ICC World Cricket League Division 5 in May 2008. They were promoted to the ICC World Cricket League Division 4 in October in Tanzania.

The ICC World Cricket League is about more than just the top six Associate teams. It is a five-division structure designed to afford teams of various standards the opportunity to play regular one-day cricket against similarly ranked opponents regardless of where in the world they are located.

It will also ensure that the qualifying pathway for the ICC Cricket World Cup is open to the majority of the 91 ICC Associate and Affiliate members.

This new structure of one-day cricket sits on top of the regional qualifying events to create a pyramid in which all teams have an opportunity to develop and an incentive to improve.

Promotion and relegation are possible between divisions as each team seeks to move up the world cricket ratings.

For a diagram which illustrates how the competition is structured, please Click Here

For a look back on the ICC World Cricket League Division 2 event in Namibia please Click Here

For a look back on the ICC World Cricket League Division 5 event in Jersey please Click Here