Kenya stare at big defeat

By CricketCountry Staff

 

Zimbabwe almost put the victory seal to their concluding World Cup Group B match against Kenya at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

By CricketCountry Staff

Kolkata: Mar 20, 2011

 

Zimbabwe almost put the victory seal to their concluding World Cup Group B match against Kenya at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

 

The men in red broke the back of the Kenyans who were set a formidable target of 309 for victory, capturing wickets at regular intervals to reduce the match to a no-contest in the first twenty overs itself.

 

Zimbabwe were provided the early breakthrough by Chris Mpofu. The tall right-arm seamer, who replaced Shingirai Masakadza for this game, proved his utility when he pinned David Obuya lbw for a duck with a delivery that angled in. 

 

Kenyan innings were dealt an even severe blow when their in-form batsman and younger brother of David Obuya – Collins was run out following a mix-up with Alex Obanda.

 

Steve Tikolo, playing in his last international game for Kenya and also filling as stand-in captain after regular skipper Jimmy Kamande pulled out because of an injury, began his innings on a bullish note, collecting two boundaries but soon he fell lbw to spinner Ray Price.

 

Tanmay Mishra exuded confidence sweeping Prosper Utseya behind square-leg but he tried the same shot in the same over but only managed to get a top-edge and gobbled up by Graeme Cremer.

 

Alex Obanda applied himself well to hold the Kenyan innings together but the clatter of wickets at the other end seemed to perturb him as he became Ray Price’s second lbw victim for 23.

 

Thomas Odoyo and Rakep Patel raised the highest stand of the innings but soon it was over as Odoyo fell to Greg Lamb for 14.

 

Earlier, Zimbabwe rode on half-centuries from Craig Ervine, Vusi Sibanda and Tatenda Taibu to post a score of 308 for 6 in its stipulated fifty overs.

 

 

Brief Scores: Kenya 95 for 7 in 25 overs (Rakep Patel 24, Greg Lamb 2 for 15, Ray Price 2 for 20, Chris Mpofu 1 for 20, Prosper Utseya 1 for 33) vs Zimbabwe.

 

Pictures © Getty Images

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