Kenya vs Zimbabwe 2nd ODI

Zimbabwe Win Toss.

Zimbabwe have won the toss and elected to field. Maurice Ouma ia an early casualty trapped LBW by Rainsford for 4 with the total at 11.

You have to be kidding me - Suji is in at 3 again. Why? He is not a sufficiently accomplished batsman for this position. I hope he proves me wrong, but he potentially puts a lot of pressure on the others if he cannot maintain a decent run rate. Zimbabwe showed yesterday that Kenya will need to set a target of 280 odd to be competetive. A great shame for Ouma - he needs to come good soon. Each time he doesn't, he increases pressure on himself. The side seems to be pretty much unchanged from yesterday. Why take youngsters like Luseno and Kalpesh Patel, and not use them? I cannot believe that after yesterday's efforts with the ball, the attack has not been changed.

The game is live on two sites:BBC and ECB. I shall also be posting here as long as I can through the night.

UPDATE 1:

Kennedy Otieno out - caught Mahwire, bowled Ireland for 13. Steve Tikolo replaces him at the crease, and is currently on 11. Score is 2-39 after 11 overs.

Exactly the start Kenya did not need. Hopefully Tikolo can come up with a captains innings, and Suji proves me wrong.

UPDATE 2:

Correction - there has been a change to the bowling, Luseno is in for Ngoche (BBC just updated their page). I would have changed Ababu myself, but at least it is something. Lets hope he has an effect.

UPDATE 3:

Finally an update without a wicket. After 15 overs, Steve Tikolo appears to be trying to assert himself. He has moved to 29 off 26. Lets hope he can keep it up. Suji is being steady on 11 off 32 which is fine so long as Steve keeps going, but again, it is too slow a run rate for a number 3. After 15 overs, Kenya are 2-62.

UPDATE 4:

2-97 after 20 overs. Steve Tikolo is nearing his half century. He is currently 46 from 40 balls, while Suji is still with him on 29 off 48. Keep it up guys!

UPDATE 5:

Suji has perished for 36 of 52, which brings Thomas Odoyo to the crease to join Tikolo, who continues at well over a run a ball for 77 off 53. This could be a very important partnership for Kenya. If Tikolo can continue, and Odoyo repeat his performance of yesterday, we could set a very defendable total. I ma still unconvinced on Suji at 3. His runs came at a time when kenya needed to steady the ship, and he provided good back up to Tikolo. I still feel, we would be better off with a better batsman at 3, and Suji a bit further down the order. Score after 26 overs, 3-142. Run rate now up to just under 5.5. Hopefully this partnership keeps it moving in that direction.

UPDATE 6:

Bad news, Steve Tikolo has been caught and bowled by R.Higgins two runs short of his century. His 98 came off 75 balls and included 14 boundaries. It is great to see Tikolo showing his skill, but a shame for him to fall so close to another milestone. His departure brings Tanmay Mishra to the crease to join Thomas Odoyo who has been playing second fiddle to his captain with 16 off 36. Odoyo now needs to step up, and take the fight to the Zimbabweans himself. Mishra, who was run out for 4 last match, now has a great opportunity to show his worth for Kenya. Lets hope they can take us to a good total. The run rate is currently 5.3, and we need to set Zimbabwe about 280 to 300 to be competetive, judging by yesterday's match. There are still wickets in hand, and enough overs that sensible batting, then a launch in the last few overs could take us there.

UPDATE 7:

10 overs to go, and still 6 wickets in hand. Thomas Odoyo has moved to 30 from 50, and Tanmay Mishra, the 19-year old has hit 25 off 26. Kenya are 4-214, and have scored at a rate of 5.35. with wickets in hand, we should see an escalation of the run rate in these last overs. At the present rate, we will set a target of 267, at 6 an over, we will set 274, 7 an over will give us 284, and 8 an over a very handy 294. I would say anything from 280 upwards should be defendable, so long as the bowlers can perform to their potential. It is great to see Mishra making a decent fist of it - hopefully, he can continue on to post a big score for himself, and Kenya.

UPDATE 8:

5 overs to go. Odoyo has fallen to Higgins, caught Taylor for 38. Mishra continues to show why he was brought on this tour with a useful 45 off 50. He needs to step it up in the final 5 overs to take Kenya to a defendable total. Kamande has joined him at the crease, and is currently on 9 from 12. Kenya are 5-258 with 30 balls remaining. At the very least, we need to finish at a run a ball, and Mishra, being the batsman in, has to increase the tempo. All in all though, this has been a much better performance than yesterday.

UPDATE 9 & Summary of Kenya's innings:

A late flurry by Jimmy Kamande after the loss of first Tanmay Mishra, who got bogged down trying to reach his maiden 50 (he made 46 off 62), and then Peter Ongondo for a duck, has helped Kenya to a total of 7-285 at the end of 50 overs.

Kamande, who came into this tour with his place in the side very much at risk, has performed well so far with the bat, and todays effort - 32 not out from 20 balls, including 5 fours may have marked his belated coming of age. He has missed much of the action over the last few years due to a suspect bowling action, but if as is reported, that is now fixed, his resurgence will be a useful boost to Kenya's game. Two other players stand out for their efforts today. Steve Tikolo came to the crease with the tour in a precarious position. We had been thumped yesterday, and with 2 cheap wickets down, things were not looking good today. To take only 75 balls to reach 98 in that position is a real indicator of his class. Not only was it a captain's knock in the context of the game, but will have restored belief in the team that we can win the series. It is a huge shame he did not get his hundred - seldom has one of our players deserved it more.

Then there is young Tanmay Mishra. Only 19, and having been run out for 4 on debut yesterday, he must have felt immense pressure when he came to the crease. His first 45 runs came at a run a ball, before the occasion got to him and he allowed himself to be tied down. Those runs were very important for Kenya, and confirm Mishra's quality. As he matures, he will find it easier to get over the milestones, and there should be many. His performance is heartening news for Kenya, as it shows that there is talent there that will replace the current players as they move towards retirement. If Alfred Luseno, who would have been watching from the boundary, can follow Mishra's example when he bowls this afternoon, it could be a very good day indeed for Kenya cricket.

285 leaves Zimbabwe needing just under six an over to chase. With the fielders we have, it should be possible for the bowlers to stifle the batsmen enough that this creeps above a run a ball. Odoyo needs someone to replace Martin Suji as his opening partner. Ongondo was the best of the bowlers yesterday, but wasn't able to restrict the opposition in the same way Suji can, which often lead to Odoyo taking a wicket. Luseno is fast. Let's hope he is aslo accurate, and can remove the openers. A couple of early wickets, and 285 should be perfectly defendable.