Netherlands beat Kenya

Kenya began the 2020 International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup Qualifiers campaign on the wrong footing as they lost by 30 runs to Netherlands at the ICC Academy in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), yesterday.

Electing to bat first, Netherlands top order stabilised their innings and pushed for a score of 166 for the loss of four wickets in their allocated overs.

Dutch opening duo of Max O’Dowd and Tobias Visee set their side on the path to victory. O’Dowd’s 53 runs off 46 runs would see Netherlands beat the century mark putting their score at 113 for the loss of two at the time of his dismissal in the 13th over.

Nelson Odhiambo had slowed down the Dutchmen in the fourth over when he bowled out Visee with the scores at 36.

Ben Cooper would join O’Dowd forming their innings most productive partnership that resulted in 77 runs before Collins Obuya ended the Cooper’s stay on the crease in 12.5 overs.

Obuya’s capitalised on his experience to dismiss Ryan ten Doeschate (3) and Cooper (36) in the 16th over with the Dutchmen’s score at 126 for the loss of four wickets. Roelof van der Merwe and Pieter Seelaar scored 21 and 24 runs not out to set a 167 target for the Kenyans.

Obuya starred with ball and bat taking three wickets for 16 runs while hitting a match high 63 off 40 deliveries.

However, his effort was not good enough to help Kenya overcome Netherlands as they struggled with the bat scoring 136 for eight in their innings.

Openers Dhiren Gondaria and Alex Obanda got the Kenyan on the wrong footing scoring 10 runs before being sent back to the pavilion.

Rakep Patel scored 26 while the remaining batsmen could not score a double digit with Odhiambo being dismissed on a duck.

Paul van Meekeren took three wickets for 27 whereas Fred Klaassen dismissed Obuya who he caught and bowled and also took the wicket of captain Shem Ngoche.

In another Group A encounter, Singapore held their nerve to beat Scotland by two runs. Scotland won the toss and elected to field but their bowlers failed to restrict Singapore allowing them to score 168 runs for the loss of six wickets.

Surendran Chandramohan scored the only half century of the match to anchor his side to victory.

Chandramohan hit 51 runs off 55 balls with Aritra Dutta adding 32 from 15 deliveries. Josh Davey led the Scottish bowlers taking two wickets for 26 runs. Safyaan Sharif took two wickets while Alasdair Evans and Hamza Tahir dismissing one each.

In defence, brilliant Selladore Vijayakumar bowled economical to take three wickets while conceding a paltry 16 while Amjad Mahboob and Sidhant Singh took two each.

Scottish opening batsman George Munsey 46 (25) missed the half century mark by four whereas Calum MacLeod hit 44 off 31 balls.

Kenya take on Scotland in their second Group A match today. Kenyans will be looking to turn tables on Scottish who subjected them to a seven wickets defeat during the 2015 World qualifier.