NAIROBI, Kenya, January 29 – Kenya suffered their second consecutive One Day International (ODI) defeat to Zimbabwe who won by 151 runs and clocked their highest ODI score at the Mombasa Sports Club on Thursday.
Kenya were set a colossal target of 352 by Zimbabwe who now lead the five match series 2-0 showed that there are now reasserting their status as a world class side.
Right hand batsman Stuart Matsikenyeri spearheaded Zimbabwe’s impressive batting figures with a career best total of 90 runs off 95 balls before being caught leg before by Collins Obuya with eight overs left in their innings.
Collins Obuya took two wickets as the hosts had no answer to Zimbabwe’s brutal batting for the second match in a row.
Kenya captain Steve Tikolo banished memories of a dismal batting performance in the first ODI to post a total of 56 runs of 48 deliveries before being dismissed by Prosper Utseya in the 20th over.
Seren Waters had a match to forget as he was bowled out in the first over by Tawanda Mupariwa in the first over after facing three balls and failing to score a run.
Kenya’s other young batsman Alex Obanda fell to Elton Chigumbura three overs later leaving Kenya at 8-2 in the fourth over.
Tikolo who came after Obanda forged a 90 run partnership with his fellow right hander Kennedy Otieno that saw them through the next 13 overs before the 36 year old was sent back to the pavilion by Ray Price with Kenya perched at 95-3.
Otieno’s dismissal started the freefall as Tikolo, Jimmy Kamande and Maurice Ouma were dispatched in the 20th, 23rd and 33rd overs respectively leaving Kenya struggling at 155-6 with 95 balls remaining.
Keith Dabengwa who scored 25 runs for the tourists bowled out Nehemiah Odhiambo (3) and Hiren Varaiya (17) to put Kenya 200 all out with four overs to spare.
Zimbabwe’s trigger happy innings put them at 141-3 after 28 overs with Sibanda (41) and Masakadza (23) also playing a supporting role to Chigumbura.
Zimbabwe’s opening partnership of Masakadza and Sibanda raced to a score of 44 runs after 9.2 overs.
The series now shifts to Nairobi which will stage the last three matches, enough for Andy Kirtsen’s side to win it and regain some confidence ahead of April’s World Cup qualifiers in South Africa.
About The Author
