No clear favourite to win Group B of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier

Eight teams to thrill fans in Abu Dhabi and Dubai from 9 to 13 February; Top two win places at the WT20 2010 in the West Indies

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United Arab Emirates coach Colin Wells thinks his side could be the surprise package of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier, which takes place in Dubai and Abu Dhabi from 9 to 13 February.

Although the home side is ranked seventh out of the eight competing teams, the 49-year-old former England batsman says his players are coming into form at the right time and are ready to take on the best of the Associate and Affiliate cricket world.

"We are itching to get at the other nations," said Wells.

"We are in excellent form. We were runners-up to Afghanistan at the ACC (Asia Cricket Council) Twenty20 Cup in November and we had a fantastic clean-sweep tour to Namibia where we won the ICC Intercontinental Shield match and also two one-dayers. We've also put in some good wins against Uganda.

"I know that on paper the teams we'll face in the qualifier are stronger but we have taken a lot of confidence from recent results and we won't be easy to beat. We will need to be at our best to do well but at the moment I am very happy with the progress we've made," he said.

Since the disappointment of missing out on a place at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 and also not earning ODI status at the CWC Qualifier in South Africa last year, Wells says the team has developed significantly.

"I've learned a lot about my players and the right combinations to use for the right situations," he said. "Home advantage in this event is going to be another factor. It's great that we will get to play at home and the boys are delighted with that.

"It would mean everything to the players to qualify for the ICC World Twenty20. They put so much effort into cricket, juggling home life and work life and the commitment they show is very impressive For me, to qualify for the West Indies would be one of the highlights of my cricket life and certainly the pinnacle of my coaching career so far."

To do that, the UAE will have to emerge from a tricky Group B that includes the Netherlands, Kenya and Canada. The Netherlands shocked the cricketing world last year by beating host team England at Lord's in the opening match of the ICC World Twenty20 2009 and it will be harbouring ambitions to qualify for this year's event so similar feats can be performed against other unsuspecting Full Members.

Although one of the heroes of that tournament, Dirk Nannes, is no longer eligible for the Netherlands and the then captain Jeroen Smits has since retired, the men in orange still have plenty of firepower, including the likes of Peter Borren, Ryan ten Doeschate, Tom de Grooth and Edgar Schiferli.

With plenty of pre-tournament matches taking place in various locations, no side seems to be dominating, a fact that points towards plenty of tight finishes and closely fought group tables.

Kenya lost to Scotland in an ICC Intercontinental Cup match in Nairobi recently but then today (Thursday) ran out a 10-wicket winner against the same opposition in a Twenty20 International at the same venue. Nehemiah Odhiambo did the damage with the ball, taking five wickets, before Steve Tikolo (56 not out) and David Obuya (65 not out) wrapped up a comfortable victory.

Meanwhile, in two thrilling matches Canada beat number-one seed Ireland by four runs in a T20I in Colombo this week before losing to Afghanistan two days later by five wickets with just one ball remaining.

Only the top two from this eight-team qualifier will join the top 10 sides in the world at the ICC World Twenty20 2010 in the West Indies.

Group B: Netherlands, Kenya, Canada, UAE