Kenya conquer nepal in build-up

By OSCAR PILIPILI

KENYA: Maurice Ouma and Thomas Odoyo scored quick fire half a century apiece to help Kenya beat Nepal by one wicket in a warm-up match of the 2015 ICC World Cup Qualifiers in Christchurch, Australia.

Nepal set a target of 265-8 in 50 overs that lasted 217 minutes yesterday.

Kenya batsmen surpassed the mark at 269-9 with one ball remaining (49.5 overs) during the innings that lasted 219 minutes.

According data information available on Cricinfo website, Nepal were the first to bat and Kenya’s bowling order was at their best once again with very tight game in opening overs.

Shem Ngoche/Lameck Onyango sent Nepal opener and wicketkeeper Mahesh Chhetri back to the pavilion after they ran him out at 1-34 in seventh over.

Third man Sagar Pun was the next to be dismissed after he was caught behind by wicketkeeper Irfan Karim off Elijah Otieno’s ball with just 13 runs.

Biggest catch

The biggest catch of the day was that of Anil Mandal who was dismissed by Karim off Nehemiah Odhiambo’s ball after hitting 62 runs.

Mandal’s dismissal brought the scores to 3-92 after 19.0 overs.

Captain Gyanendar Malla did not last long as he was bowled and caught by player/assistant coach Thomas Odoyo in the 23rd over after scoring 14 runs.

Other batsmen who managed significant runs in Nepal line-up were Binod Bhandari (48) and Pradeep Airee (42).

Otieno claimed two wickets and conceded 40 runs in 10 overs while Odhiambo was 2-52 after delivering 54 balls.

Odoyo (1-21), Tikolo (1-33) and Ngoche (1-18) claimed one wicket apiece to restrict Nepal to 265 runs in maximum overs.

In Kenya innings, opener Karim set a strong foundation for his team after he managed 44 runs before he was stumped by wicketkeeper Mahesh Chhetri off Shakti Gauchan’s ball in the 23rd over.

Karim’s opening partner Alex Obanda was the first wicket to fall after he was caught leg before by Gauchan with five-ball seven runs.

Ouma who had a bad outing in the first warm-up match against Hong Kong rose up to the occasion whacking one-ball one-run of 73 before he was bowled out by Jitendar Mukhiya in the 47.3 over with scores at 249-9.

With the exit of Ouma, the task of steering Kenya to the required winning target of 265 was left to Odoyo and bowling bowler Ngoche.

This was a trick situation considering that Kenya required 17 runs from 15 balls to beat Nepal.

Odoyo lead from the front scoring an unbeaten 66 off 44 balls that included two sixes and seven fours while Ngoche was not out on one run after facing five deliveries.

Kenya lost their first warm-up match against Hong Kong by two runs last Friday.

The team that is coached by Tikolo opens their World Cup Qualifiers campaign against Papua New Guinea today starting at 00.30 East African Time. 

––[e-mail]