Humbled Again

Shaun Marsh dominated with the bat yesterday hitting 207 not out as the visiting CBCE side again handed Kenya a major belting. This time the Aussies batted first, and it looked initially as though things may be different from the first match as Odoyo had them reeling at 2/12. Marsh and George Bailey (152) then combined to give the Kenyans a lesson in how to build an innings and make big scores. Their effort took the total to 3/404 by the close (Ongondo finally clean bowled Bailey) and it was always going to be a formidable total.

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Kenya's reply got off to a better start than it has done recently with both openers actually getting into double figures. However, Kennedy Obuya fell for 17 with the score on 40, and Maurice Ouma perished shortly after for 23. Tony Suji again came in at 3 and this time he top scored for Kenya, though his 48 off 93 looks pretty meagre compared to the aussies' efforts. Malhar Patel made 33 and Nehemiah Odiambo a quickfire 41 as Kenya struggled to 199 all out in 49.1 overs.

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It is hard to keep being positive about losses, especially ones of this magnitude against a nation's third string side. Mind you going by Kenya's football international loss yesterday, if Harambee Stars played Brazil's 3rd or even fourth side, the result would probably be a loss of similar magnitude. At least there are signs of improvement in some areas. For a start we batted out almost the entire 50 overs. True, the runs required were miles away from what we reached, but at least it is an improvement on the last game. Suji did well at 3, but I am still yet to be convinced he is the man for this position. Rakeb Patel brought into the side as an all rounder batted at 8 and was only given 2 overs. Somewhat mystifying as he was no more expensive than any of the other bowlers who also went for 7+ an over. The idea of matches like this is that they give the players experience against top quality opposition. One would have thought that a youngster like Patel would be more in need of overs than an experienced player like Suji. That said, it is good to see the latter used as a bowler, his figures not withstanding, as I do not see him justifying a place in the side with his batting alone, despite his 48 yesterday.

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Today sees the final match of the series being played, and Kenya will be hard pushed to get a result that gives the aussies anything other than a 3-0 whitewash. Results aside, if the team members can each show improvement, then that at least will be something. January and the WCL is not far away now, and beyond that looms the World Cup. Both are tournaments in which it is vital Kenya perform well and we are running out of time to find a team that can do that consistently.

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SCORECARD:

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CBCE innings:
Tim Paine..........Ct..Odhiambo..........Odoyo..........13
Shaun Marsh......Not out......................................207
Adam Voges.......Bowled.....................Odoyo...........0
George Bailey.....Bowled.....................Ongondo....152
Extras:.....................(lb 4, w 6, nb 7).......................17
Total:............For..3..Wickets in 50 overs.............404

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FoW: 1-12 (T Paine), 2-12 (A Voges), 3-286 (G Bailey).
Did not bat: D Doran, A Finch, A Crosthwaite, G Sullivan, B Drew, B Hilfenhaus.

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Bowling:

T Odoyo...........10-1-73-2

P Ongondo......10-2-72-1

N Odhiambo.....9-0-93-0

H Varaiya........10-0-74-0

T Suji.................9-0-75-0

Rakeb Patel.......2-0-13-0.

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Kenya innings:
K Obuya................Ct..Crosthwaite..........Finch........17
M Ouma................Ct..Crosthwaite..........Finch.......23
T Suji.....................Bowled...................Hilfenhaus...48
M Patel..................LBW............................Voges.......33
T Mishra................Ct & B.........................Voges.........2
C Obuya.................LBW............................Doran........0
T Odoyo.................St..Crosthwaite...........Voges........11
R Patel...................Ct..Voges.....................Finch..........1
N Odhiambo.........Bowled.....................Hilfenhaus...41
P Ongondo............St..Crosthwaite........Hilfenhaus.....1

H Varaiya..............Not out............................................1
Total.......All Out in 49.1 Overs.................................199
FoW: 1-40 (K Otieno), 2-46 (M Ouma), 3-102 (M Patel), 4-104 (T Mishra), 5-105 (C Obuya), 6-123 (T Odoyo), 7-133 (R Patel), 8-179 (T Suji), 9-196 (N Odhiambo), 10-199 (P Ongondo).

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CBCE Bowling:

A Voges.......................10-2-25-3

D Doran......................10-0-25-1

T Paine........................4-0-24-0

B Drew.........................7-0-38-0

B Hilfenhaus................8-1-29-3

A Finch.......................5.1-0-22-3

C Ferguson...................2-0-24-0.