2-0 but Batting problems persist

Kenya yesterday went 2-0 up in their ODI series with Uganda beating them by 1 wicket at Nairobi Gymkhana.

Winning the toss, Kenya elected to field and once again the opening attack of Alfred Luseno and Lucas Oluoch were key to Kenya gaining an early upper hand. Unlike the first game however, Uganda started brightly with Roger Mukasa (27) and Akbar Baig (18) putting on a brisk 34 before Luseno got the breakthrough clean bowling Mukasa.

Three overs later Oluoch got into the act removing number 3, Lawrence Sematimba without scoring. Baig followed shortly after trapped lbw by the left-hander and Uganda were in trouble at 3/48. A brief rally followed with Fred Isabirye (15) and Benjamin Musoke (16) adding 18 for the next wicket, but the run rate was slowing and Varaiya ended the partnership trapping Isabirye in front. Luseno picked up his second 1 run later when Henry Senyondo had his house knocked over and again Uganda were in trouble: 5/67 after 18 overs.

Musoke then found support in Arthur Ziraba (20) and Uganda recovered somewhat before Varaiya bowled Musoke (6/95). Ziraba was next back to the pavilion, run out by Jimmy Kamande (7/106) and the end was looming for the visitors. Kamande was the next to strike for Kenya as Frank Nsubuga departed lbw for 3 (8/113) but Ronald Semanda (20) stuck around long enough to help Uganda to 126 before he was last man out, bowled by Nehemiah Odhiambo who two overs earlier had run out Seiga Asadu.

All of the Kenyan bowlers impressed and while their economy rates were not quite as good as in the first ODI, Kenya would have gone into the break confident of another easy victory, especially considering the batting line up looked much stronger with the addition of Seren Waters and Alex Obanda.

If they thought it was to be a walk in the park, they were sorely disappointed as Uganda refused to go down without a fight and, just as in the first match, struck early when Waters was caught by Ziraba off the bowling of Jonathan Sebanja for a duck. David Obuya remained unfazed and appeared set on erasing his poor showing in the first game by racing to 24 off just 20 deliveries, but that was where his innings ended as he fell to Baig, caught by Nsubuga (2-30).

Rakep Patel had looked unstoppable in the first ODI, but he too fell after getting a start, lbw to Seyondo for 17 (3/56). Kenya then staged one of their by now famous collapses as alex Obanda (14), Maurice Ouma (7), Jimmy Kamande (5) and Shem Obado (0) all fell in quick succession to give Uganda the hope of victory with the score at 7/77.

Nehemiah Odhiambo (25) and Hiren Varaiya (14*) stuck to their guns however and pulled Kenya back to relative safety with a 33 run partnership before Baig had Odhiambo caught and bowled with Kenya still needing 17 for victory. When Nsubuga trapped Oluoch lbw 3 overs later, Kenya were still 11 runs short and Uganda could once again scent victory. Varaiya however stood firm with last man Luseno and it was the latter that saw Kenya home with a 4 to give the home side a nail biting victory.

At the end of the day Kenya won and take the series 2-0 with a game still to play, but this match must serve once again as a warning that Uganda are not to be taken lightly and that Kenya need to apply themselves better when at the crease. No disrespect to Uganda, but a stronger team would have made Kenya pay dearly for their mistakes. The final match of the series will be played today at Nairobi Gymkhana and Kenya need to once again win big if they want to avoid questions being asked as to why a weakened Uganda side has been so competitive against a Kenyan side that certainly looks very like it could be a future full strength side.

Uganda 126 (Mukasa 26, Semanda 21, Ziraba 20, Varaiya 2/17, Oluoch 2/24, Luseno 2/29)
lose to
Kenya 129/9 (Neh Odhiambo 25, D Obuya 24, Asadu 3/25)
by 1 wicket

Kenya lead 3 match series 2-0

Kenya Ladies end 8 year drought in style

Yesterday Kenya Ladies played a team that they had never beaten in eight years of trying and not just beat them but completely outplayed them.

Winning the toss, Uganda chose to bat but ran straight into trouble as they lost two early wickets - Anna Kisakye run out for 2 and Barbara Mukankusi bowled by Mary Belle for 4. Kenya's Ladies kept a tight line and the discipline paid off with the Ugandans frustrated at being unable to score going for more suicidal runs, chances that the Kenyans gleefully accepted. Mary Belle (3/22) continued to reap the rewards of the pressure created by Belinda Maska (8-5-4-1) as she picked up two more wickets to have Uganda well and truly on the ropes at 21/6 after 15 overs.

A rally of sorts was then carried out by Christine Aryemo (14) and Consy Aweko (13*) who added 26 for the next wicket, but the run rate was still painfully slow and Kenya still well and truly in control of the game. Again it was a run out that triggered a Ugandan collapse, though this time the bowler to benefit was Sarah Bhakita who cleaned up the tail taking 3/5 off 5.4 overs.
Uganda finished on 71 all out after 38.4 overs.

Kenya lost opener Perlyne Omamo to Stella Atim with just 4 on the board, but from then on the reply was held together by sensible batting from Margaret Banja (47*) and Mary Aimee (15*) who saw the hosts home for an historic victory.

It may have taken 8 years, but Kenya's Ladies are proving under the stewardship of Dun Okinyo and their inclusion in the NPCA leagues that they are a growing force. If there was ever a result that begged for Cricket Kenya or the NPCA to consider a second ladies team in that competition, this surely is it. Congratulations to the Kenyan ladies on such a fine milestone, may it be the first of many more!

Kenya turn tables on Uganda

Kenya yesterday displayed the dominance that was so badly lacking against the Ugandans during the 20-20 series. They not only won the first ODI but did so in emphatic fashion - first by bowling Uganda out for a mere 104 (which took 44 overs to accumulate) and then knocking off the required runs in well under 20 overs for the loss of just one wicket.

Kenya won the toss and Alfred Luseno and Lucas Oluoch (pictured right in the nets in 2008) opened the bowling giving the Ugandans a torrid time. Luseno proved virtually unplayable with the batsmen only able to score 7 runs off his 7 overs. While he did not pick up any wickets himself, good seamers hunt in pairs and the pressure certainly paid off at the other end as debutante Oluoch took the first three wickets to have Uganda reeling at 3/24 after 14 overs to finish with figures of 3/23. A fine effort for his first 50 over game in Kenyan colours.

Kenya have recently had a history of allowing teams off the hook, but yesterday was different as first Nehemiah Odhiambo (1/10 off 6) then Jimmy Kamande (1/24 off 7) and Hiren Varaiya (1/9 off 8) continued to apply the pressure. Where Oluoch had announced himself at the beginning of the innings, it was another debutante - Shem Obado who finished off the innings taking 3/10 including the wicket of Benjamin Musoke (27), the only Ugandan able to get some sort of a start.

All in all it was a fantastic effort by the bowlers and one that certainly lends support to coach Eldine Baptiste's desire to include the youngsters in the squad. Unlike the 20-20s, Kenya's batsmen were able to back up the bowlers and bar an early scare when Charles Waiswa had David Obuya trapped in front for a duck, they put the bowlers to the sword. Rakep Patel (57* off 59) moved up to open with Obuya and so narrowly beat Maurice Ouma (44* off 41) to his half century.

Kenya went on to win the match in just 17.2 overs with a score of 105/9. This is strangely one run higher than their best effort in the 20-20s, yet came from fewer overs faced. Why they were able to produce the application for this in the ODI yet fail to do so in the 20-20 is surely food for serious thought for the coach before the World Cup qualifiers in the New Year.

All in all though this was as good a performance as Kenya have produced in some time and they can go into the remaining games of the series once more confident in their ability. Fans will be hoping however that confidence does not too soon become complacency.

Big wins for both men and women v Uganda

Both Kenya Ladies and Kenya mens teams registered massive wins yesterday vs Uganda to return some pride to Kenyan cricket.

A report on the games will follow in due course.

Ladies:
Uganda 71 all out (38.4 overs)
Kenya 72/1 (26 overs)

Men:
Uganda 104 all out
Kenya 105/1

Kenya Ladies thump Tanzania in continental Championship

Great result for the Kenya Ladies team to record their second highest total along the way to giving Tanzania, the defending Champions, a belting in the opening match.
A full report can be read here.

Scorecard:

MATCH SUMMARY
MATCH:				Tanzania Women vs. Kenya Women																DATE(S):				15 Dec 2009
VENUE:				Sir Ali Muslim Club																TOSS WON BY:						Tanzania Women
CAPTAINS:					Monica Pascal															(Home)				Emily Ruto												(Opposition)
WICKETKEEPERS:								Prisca Leonard												(Home)				Maria Aimee												(Opposition)
UMPIRES:					Joshua Oyieko, Bernard Ouko															RESULT:				Kenya Women won by 93 runs
SCORERS:					Maxwell Otieno, Dun Okinyo
1ST INNINGS
BATTING TEAM:							Kenya Women																1st INNINGS
Batsman								How Out								Bowler							Runs			Mins			Balls			4's			6's			FOW
Perlyne Omamo								c Esther Wales								Khadija Nasibu							12			37			29			0			0			28 for 1
Margaret Banja								c Esther Wales								Khadija Nasibu							15			44			34			1			0			30 for 2
Maria Aimee (w)								not out															37			154			106			0			0
Belinda Maska								run out (Opponent 13)															11			36			35			0			0			52 for 3
Sarah Bhakita								c & b								Monica Pascal							39			61			57			3			0			124 for 4
Emily Ruto (c)								c Zakia Saguti								Zena Hassan							16			14			18			1			0			144 for 5
Mary Belle								c Mwanaidi Ibrahim								Monica Pascal							2			3			4			0			0			149 for 6
Mercyline Adhiambo								c Irene John								Monica Pascal							4			8			10			0			0			156 for 7
Aliya Baeur								run out (Opponent 13)															1			5			3			0			0			157 for 8
Ruth Mwihaki								not out															1			7			5			0			0
Maureen Mutunga								Did not bat															0			0			0			0			0
Extras								b:	0		lb:		2		nb:		2		w:		19		23			p:		0
																			TOTAL:				161				WKT:			8				Overs:			50.0
BATTING TEAM:							Tanzania Women																1st INNINGS
Batsman								How Out								Bowler							Runs			Mins			Balls			4's			6's			FOW
Asha Daudi								lbw								Mary Belle							5			8			11			0			0			6 for 1
Prisca Leonard (w)								run out (Player 13)															3			51			28			0			0			26 for 2
Monica Pascal (c)								c Aliya Baeur								Emily Ruto							16			42			37			1			0			31 for 3
Saida Hamisi								c Margaret Banja								Mercyline Adhiambo							1			3			4			0			0			31 for 4
Zakia Saguti								c & b								Perlyne Omamo							1			28			21			0			0			38 for 6
Khadija Nasibu								bowled								Emily Ruto							0			9			5			0			0			32 for 5
Irene John								bowled								Ruth Mwihaki							6			15			14			0			0			38 for 7
Mwanaidi Ibrahim								not out															21			37			32			1			0
Hawa Salum								bowled								Perlyne Omamo							0			3			5			0			0			39 for 8
Zena Hassan								c Sarah Bhakita								Perlyne Omamo							0			12			7			0			0			53 for 9
Esther Wales								st Maria Aimee								Sarah Bhakita							0			12			12			0			0			68 for 10
Extras								b:	0		lb:		0		nb:		0		w:		15		15			p:		0
																			TOTAL:				68				WKT:			10				Overs:			29.0
BOWLING TEAM:							Tanzania Women												1ST INNINGS		BOWLING TEAM:							Kenya Women												1ST INNINGS
Bowler								O		M		R		Wk		NB		Wd			Bowler								O		M		R		Wk		NB		Wd
Mwanaidi Ibrahim								10.0		1		26		0		0		2			Mary Belle								5.0		0		15		1		0		2
Khadija Nasibu								8.3		2		22		2		1		2			Belinda Maska								4.0		1		3		0		0		1
Hawa Salum								6.0		0		22		0		0		5			Mercyline Adhiambo								5.0		4		3		1		0		0
Zena Hassan								10.0		0		31		1		0		2			Margaret Banja								1.0		0		5		0		0		2
Esther Wales								3.0		0		14		0		0		0			Emily Ruto								4.0		0		12		2		0		1
Monica Pascal								9.0		0		25		3		0		3			Perlyne Omamo								5.0		1		14		3		0		5
Saida Hamisi								3.0		0		19		0		1		0			Ruth Mwihaki								3.0		1		10		1		0		0
																					Sarah Bhakita								2.0		0		6		1		0		4