Kenya vs. Zimbabwe 4th ODI: Kenya Innings

Another bad start, with Kenya losing opener David Obuya early on for 5. He was caught Coventry, bowled Mahwire. After 6 overs, Kenya are 1-19 with Kennedy on 11, and Tony Suji, still batting at 3, yet to score from 14 deliveries. Surely it is time the Kenyan selectors experimented with a different player in this position. Suji is a fine player for lower down the order, but he does not have the strokeplay for this position in One Day cricket. Especially in a run chase like this, slow scoring puts extra pressure on the other batsmen in the team, increasing the likelihood of them getting out. Hopefully, Tikolo, Odoyo and Mishra will still bat in their accustomed positions, with Ouma coming in after Mishra. It is early days yet, and we can still win this match, but this tour has shown how badly Kenya miss a player of Ravindu Shah's quality to open with Kennedy.

UPDATE 1:

Zimbabwe's bowlers continue to give Kenya trouble in the run chase. Suji fell for 2 from 22, surely his last effort at number 3! He was caught and bowled by Utseya. Then, a huge disaster for Kenya, Steve Tikolo bowled by Higgins for 2. This is a terrible blow to Kenya, as Tikolo is the one player with the potential to really rip apart a bowling attack. We will be hard pressed from here, and it will need the very best from Otieno, currently on 27 from 29, and Thomas Odoyo who has come to the crease, for us to recover.

UPDATE 2:

In what is rapidly turning into a disaster for Kenya, Zimbabwe's bowlers have completely turned the tables on us. After 25 overs, Kenya have struggled to 7-72. Kennedy Otieno, who has done exceptionally well to reach his 50, is the only player to get past 5 runs. On Wednesday, we were able to hide poor batting behind a fantastic bowling effort. Today, there is no such luxury, and Kenya are very close to a humiliating defeat. Remove Otieno, and this is about the worst ever scorecard I think I have seen from a Kenyan team. We will have to really regroup before the deciding match tomorrow.

UPDATE 3:

It is all but over now. Brijal Patel joined the rest of the Kenyans in the dressing room who failed to get over five. He was dismissed by Higgins for 2 off 19. Kennedy Otieno then finally holed out on 69 - a lone star on a very poor scorecard. Luseno and Ongondo are trying a last ditch effort to get Kenya to within a hundered. Ongondo is showing the rest how it is done on 17, and Luseno is Kenya's third highest scorer on 8. It pains me greatly to stay up till almost 3am to have to write that. I hope tomorrow sees a different result for Kenya.

UPDATE 4:

It is over, and Kenya have suffered an ignominious defeat at the hands of the hosts. Ongondo was the final wicket to fall for 17, but at least he got beyond double figures. Tomorrow better be an improvement. Kenya all out for 120 lose by 111 runs.