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CHENNAI
New Zealand crushed Kenya by 10 wickets in a totally lop-sided Group A match for a perfect start to their World Cup campaign.
New Zealand unleashed their pace trio of Tim Southee (3-13), Hamish Bennett (4-16) and Jacob Oram (3-2) to bundle out rank outsiders Kenya for a meagre 69 in 23.5 overs and returned to overwhelm the target in eight overs.
There was not much room for batting practice chasing a 70-run victory target but openers Martin Guptill (39) and Brendon McCullum (26) stroked some easy boundaries before completing the chase.
The comprehensive win will lift New Zealand’s morale which had taken a beating after a poor build-up that included whitewash in Bangladesh and India, besides a home series defeat against Pakistan.
Kenyan players (from left) Seren Waters, Steve Tikolo and Thomas Odoyo walk off the pitch after the loss to New Zealand, on Sunday. [PHOTO:AP]
Earlier, Kenya captain Jimmy Kamande won the toss and opted to bat first before a horror story unfolded in front of his eyes.
Two days before he turns 24, Bennett ran through the top order as Kenya’s top half was back in the hut even before the team total had reached the 50-run mark.
Openers Alex Obanda (6) and Seren Waters (16) began cautiously even if run-rate was nothing to write home about.
Southee trapped Obanda in the seventh over before Bennett suddenly took fancy to beating the blade and hitting the pad of the flummoxed Kenyan batsmen, claiming three of his four victims lbw.
Southee dismissed Nehemiah Odhiambo and Shem Ngoche off the last two deliveries of his sixth over but could not get a chance to complete his hat-trick as Oram removed Elijah Otieno for a duck to drop the curtains on the Kenyan innings.
Only three Kenyan batsmen — Waters, Collins Obuya (14) and Rakep Patel (15 not out) — managed double digit scores.
New Zealand missed Kyle Mills’ service through a sore back but off-spinner Nathan McCullum recovered from fever to open the attack, a move that is getting increasingly popular among the visiting teams.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan has defended his decision to bowl against India’s feared batting lineup after winning the toss in Saturday’s World Cup opener.
India piled on 370-4 in 50 overs and finished up comfortable winners by 87 runs as Hasan’s plan appeared to backfire. — Agencies
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