Going gets tough for Cricket national team after losing to USA

Kenya's Nehemiah Odhiambo bowl against Hong Kong during the 4th Round of International Cricket Council World Cricket League Championship at Nairobi Gymkana on Sunday, Nov 20, 2016 [Courtesy]

Kenya's hopes of securing a promotion to the International Cricket Council (ICC) Division Two yesterday hit a snag after suffered a heavy 158 runs loss to the USA in the ongoing World Cricket League Division Three at Al Amarat Cricket Stadium in Muscat, Oman. 

The effects of poor preparation that was marred by uncertainty ahead of the championships, were evident as Kenya could not stand the test of American bowlers barely going halfway the 50 overs match in their innings.

And in 26 overs, the Kenyans were all out for 96 succumbing to their second defeat and reducing their chances of being promoted to Division Two.

Two ducks, the highest score at 19 and most cricketers scoring below 10, sums up Kenya's bad day in office.

Winning the toss and electing to field, Kenyans failed to restrain the Americans, which allowed them to call the shots.

USA's opening pair of Monank Patel and Jaskaran Malhotra set them on the path to victory with a solid partnership before Nehemiah Odhiambo got the former caught in the seventh over with only four runs remaining before they hit the half-century mark. 

The Kenyans seemed to have settled in the game when Nelson Odhiambo broke the opponents' second stand wicket of Steven Taylor and Malhotra dismissing the latter in 9.1 overs putting the score at 65 for the loss of two wickets.

It was Taylor 41(35) and Aaron Jones 69(118) who troubled the Kenyans most. However, fast-rising Sachin Bhudia finally outwitted Taylor getting him caught in the 20th over with USA's score at 114 for three. 

There was a glimmer of hope for the Kenyans when captain Shem Ngoche bowled Timil Patel in the 25th over with the Americans adding just seven runs after 4.4 overs from Taylor's dismissal.

However, it was Jones and Hayden Walsh's fifth stand wicket that was hard to crack.

The duo proved too smart pushing their score to 204 as Elijah Otieno caught and bowled Walsh in 45.2 overs.

Jones steadied USA's innings before his fall in the 48 over with the score at 243 for the loss of eight wickets.

The tail order of Ali Khan and Nosthush Kenjige pushed USA's score to 254 by the end of their innings setting a target of 255 for the Kenyans.

Nelson and Nehemiah took four and three wickets while Otieno, Ngoche and Bhudia took one wicket each. 

There was nothing to write home about in Kenya's innings as they failed to turn on their turbines.

Rakep Patel was Kenya's top scorer with 19 runs off 40 balls whereas wicketkeeper Irfan Karim and Dhiren Gondaria were dismissed on ducks.

Today Kenya will be seeking their first win against Uganda.