Kenya Bat First

UPDATE 11: Close Of innings.

Well, we certainly threw our bats in the last four overs, but with mixed results. Canada picked up another 4 wickets to leave us with 9 lost for the innings, but in return, we managed to push the score along to 237. While it leaves Canada only requiring 4.76 an over to win, it is certainly a defendable total and gives our bowlers something to aim at. All in all a mixed bag for Kenya before lunch, but at least we can go on to win from here. Much will depend on whether we can take a couple of early wickets and restrict the run rate in the first ten overs. If we can, the pressure will be on and we have the experience to tighten the screws.

I will post more on the batting effort when I see the scorecard, but for now a quick 40 winks before the Canadian reply.

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UPDATE 10:

A wicket off the first ball of the 47th. Not what we needed at all, 5/207. Still time to put on the runs though. Wickets are annoying as they are dot balls and slow the rate down. Hopefully someone can get hold of a few and belt them over the fence.

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UPDATE 9 - 46 Overs:

4 overs left. Kenya have gone at 7 an over the last 5 to reach the 200 mark. We are now at 4/206 with 4 to go. We really need to swing the bat in these last few overs to see if we can score at around 10 an over or so. Wickets are in hand, so really time to launch now.

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UPDATE 8 - 41 Overs.

Not good - we have the wobbles. 2 runs from the over and a wicket. Kenya now 4/172. Hopefully it was the new batsman out, not the settled one!

We need to get those runs on the board without losing too many more wickets in the last 9 overs. Good fightback by the Canadian bowlers unfortunately.

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UPDATE 7 - 40 overs.

Kenya now 170, but we have lost a third wicket - I just hope it wasn't Tikolo. Going into the last 10 overs, we can still post a respectable target if the remaining batsmen play for the team and go after the bowling.

Current run rate: 4.25 would give us 212 runs

5 an over: 220

6 an over: 230

7 an over: 240

8 an over: 250

etc.

C'arn the boys!!

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UPDATE 6 - The Vortex Goat seems to have struck again. It has head butted J.W - no updates for a while. It is 2:30 am here, 'V' energy drink has run out. Brewing Chai will wake up the wife. Don't know the score. Don't Canadians know about Nyama Choma? Kill the goat - wapi chilli-sauce?

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UPDATE 5 - 32 Overs:

Another 23 runs from 4 overs (exactly the same as the last 4) takes Kenya to 2/132. 6 an over from here would give us 240, but if we can up the tempo a bit more, and we should be able to with wickets in hand, we could post 250 plus. Possible totals:

current run rate (4.1): 206

5 an over: 222

6 an over: 240

7 an over: 258

8 an over: 276

9 an over: 294

Let's hope is is one of the latter scores...

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UPDATE 4 - 28 overs.

A better couple of overs for Kenya now Tikolo is at the crease. 23 runs takes us past the 100 mark to 2/109, a run rate of 3.9. This is beginning to creep upwards, but a big couple of overs would really help. Still, the positive is that we still have wickets in hand, and there are the batsmen to come who are good at picking up the scoring rate in the final overs so long as they have a platform to build on. We really need a big score from one of the two in to act as anchor for the assault.

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UPDATE 3, 24 Overs:

Kenya have lost their second wicket with 86 runs on the board. Again, the run rate has slowed, though this is hardly a surprise when a wicket has fallen. This next partnership will be crucial for Kenya as it should bring Tikolo to the crease. He certainly has the ability to up the run rate, and Kenya need someone to do just that. 3.6 an over is just not going to cut it. News on the batsmen out is af follows: It seems the opening pair of Kennedy Obuya and Brijal Patel was retained, which may explain the slow run rate. Brijal Patel was first to go, caught Davison bowled Osinde for 6. Surely, Muange must be given his chance ahead of Patel next match. He can't do much worse, and may even do better. Kamande was the batsman in at 3, as expected replacing Tony Suji. I'm not sure of the last wicket, but at the 19 over mark, Kennedy was on 32, Jimmy on 25. Whoever is still in needs to work with Tikolo to get that scoreboard ticking over.

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UPDATE 2, 19 overs:

The good news is that 20 runs have come off the last 4 overs leaving Kenya at 1/68. This raises the run rate to 3.6 an over - still too low, but if they can continue to pick it up, we could be looking at a half decent score. 6 an over from here in would give us around 250 which would be defendable. It is really disappointing that neither cricinfo nor cricket Europe are covering this game live. After all, it is a full ODI, and going by the Intercontinental cup match could be a cracker of a game. Shame on them, and all credit to Jonathan for his efforts to keep us informed.

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UPDATE 1:
15 overs down now, and at least Kenya have lost no further wickets. Run rate has crept up to 3.2 per over with the score on 1/48. This is a very slow start from us and we are going to have to find the boundary a bit more if we are going to post a defendable total. Still not sure who the Kenyan batsmen are.

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Kenya won the toss and are batting first against Canada in the first One Day International currently underway in Toronto. So far, the only place with any scores seems to be Jonathan's Canadian Cricket blog which has Kenya starting safely (a great surprise) at 0/24 after 5 overs. We have however lost the first wicket to be 1/31 after 9 so the run rate has slowed a bit as well. 3 overslater he has us at 1/37, so slow progress being made, but at least no further wickets. No word on the batsmen in.

12 overs: Run rate 3.08.