Group B Match 10 - Kenya (Krish1712) vs West Indies (RIZZYX)
Venue: Antingua and Barbuda (Hosted by West Indies)
Toss: Kenya won and electected to bowl first.
West Indies: 278/9 (20.0 Overs)
R Sarwan 110 (45)
L Backler 65 (29)
R Nash 52 (23)
P Ongunde 4/39 (4.0)
K Padam 2/46 (4.0)
L Onyengi 1/31 (1.0)
Kenya: 113/10 (16.5 Overs)
A Obinka 38 (22)
C Obeye 23 (22)
S Tikolo 23 (28)
K Rouch 4/15 (4.0)
D Powell 3/18 (4.0)
R Hinds 2/25 (2.5)
MOM: R Sarwan for his 110 off 45 balls
Result: West Indies won by 165 runs
Points: WI=3 Ken=0
Match Report: Kenya had come into this game with 4 wins out of 4, and won most of them comprehensivley at that, so the odds were on them once again to over haul West Indies for the second time in the Championship. West Indies had other ideas on their mind, their confidence was again on the high after a great batting display against Bangladesh. In front of an juberant home crowd West Indies were put into bat on a amazing batting surface, Kenya were sticking to there tried and tested formula of bowling first but it was only a matter of time it back fired.
There has been much talk about Kenya's attacking feild tactics, but West Indies matched it with a dazzling display of attacking batting, they lofted the ball in the ever so narrow gaps, and piled up a flurry of boundries to put the pressure on Kenya early on, however some early wickets had West Indies in a slight spot of bother at 56/3 with the top 3 back in the shed, but Sarwan and in form Nash, put togather a breath taking 114 partnership which rocketed them to 170/4 with over 8 overs to go, Sawrwan doing most of the damage, ending with a match winning 110 from only 45 balls. With Nash still at the crease and Chanderpaul, Gayle, Chittorgon, Backler still to come the platform was set to launch with a total of 300 in mind, but Kenya fought back removing both Chanderpaul and Gayle first ball, and Chittorgon falling for only 5 followed by the wicket of Nash for a well played 52, West Indies found themselves suddenly 226/8 with 4 overs to spare, 250 was looking a distant score. But Backler took charge, launching masses of sixes, giving West Indies that final push, the last over went for 31, with 4 sixes, and bought up Backlers fifty before he was removed with 2 balls to go. West Indies finished with a massive 278/9, the highest score of the tournament to date.
It was down to Kenya's batsman to make up for the poor display from their bowlers, but with a mountain to climb, and the pressure of a high scoring run chase, they lost their way helped by some good bowling again by Rouch who picked up 4 wickets, Kenya found themselves 7 for 27 at one stage, and were looking to get bowled out for the lowest score of the competition, but with victory out of reach the lower order batsman began to play steadily to achieve some sort of respectable total, a 51 run partnership for the 9th wicket, and some good hitting from Tikolo got them into 3 figures, they were finally bowled out for 113, a long way short from their target.
This victory will mean alot to the Windies, Kenya had become the team to beat in group B and West Indies have done just that, with 4 games to go, 2 each against South Africa and England, and with a healthy NRR so far they are looking well placed to make it to the next round. But they will be aware that there is still alot to do.
(Screenshots to be added soon)