Kenya beat UAE in Intercontinental Cup tie

By JAMES WAINDI

The national cricket team beat United Arab Emirates (UAE) by six wickets in the first innings of the ICC Intercontinental Cup at the Nairobi Gymkhana.

UAE had won the toss and opted to bat first and they could have hoped to do better but only managed 213 runs all out in 67.3 overs allowing Kenya to take first-day honours despite their top-order batsmen getting false starts.

Opener Abdul Rehman managed 23, while Saqib Ali scored 45, but the steady fall of wickets at the start meant UAE were reduced to 57 for 4 at one stage. Saqib’s contribution, though, was a significant one; he added 121 for the fifth wicket with captain Khurram Khan, who top-scored with 85.

However, left-arm seamer Lucas Oluoch and left-arm spinner Hiren Varaiya brought Kenya right back, sharing seven wickets between them including the last six to fall, to bowl out UAE for a modest total.

Kenya lost Runish Gudhka in the first over but opener Rakep Patel gave the innings some impetus early on with a quickfire 36 runs.

Captain Collins Obuya, was dismissed in what proved to be the last ball of the day, but night watchman was Dominic Wesonga with an unbeaten 34, following up on his two wickets.

On the second day, chasing a target of 120 runs to win the first innings, Tanmay Mishra started poorly, being caught by Arshad Ali just after making a single run, but Samath Patel who came next salvaged the situation with 30 runs from 81 balls that consisted of six boundaries, before he was caught by Saqib Ali.

Rajesh Bhudia made the game safe for Kenya after posting 44 runs from 41 balls. He had a single six with five boundaries.