Bhatti bowls Canada to tense victory

Canada 235 (Qaiser Ali 91*, Ondongo 4-49) and 286 (Barnett 136, Bagai 57, Odhiambo 5-54) beat Kenya 231 (Mishra 83*, Osinde 4-51, Bhatti 4-82) and 265 (Obuya 89, Tikolo 50, Bhatti 6-56) by 25 runs
Scorecard

Geoff Barnett and Umar Bhatti jointly receive Man-of-the-Match awards from Richard Done of the ICC © ICC

Canada put recent poor form behind them with a close-fought 25-run with over Kenya on the last day of their Intercontinental Cup clash at Maple Leaf CC in Ontario. Umar Bhatti, who took 6 for 56, was the star for the Canadians on a day which, like the whole game itself, ebbed and flowed throughout.

Kenya resume on 45 for 2 chasing a target of 291, and much, it seemed, depended on the veteran Steve Tikolo. He appeared set for a big score when, shortly after bring up his fifty, he was bowled by John Davison, and when Tony Suji followed soon after, Kenya were 114 for 4 and struggling.

Again Kenya rallied, led by Hitesh Modi and Collins Obuya, the pair adding 59 for the fifth wicket; again Canada rallied, Puvendran Ravishankar dismissing Modi and the first-innings hero Tanmay Mishra to leave Kenya on 189 for 6.

But Obuya, who has had such a wretched time since being one of the heroes of Kenya's 2003 World Cup campaign, kept battling. He found some support from Thomas Odoyo, but once he had fallen to Bhatti, Obuya was on his own and the tail failed to provide enough support.

With 25 needed and tension mounting - Andy Pick, Canada's coach was pacing round begging for the last wicket, before settling nervously on a seat near the sightscreen - Bhatti struck to have Obuya well caught at slip by Geoff Barnett for 89. It was a fitting combination that ended the match as the pair shared the Man-of-the-Match award - Bhatti for his bowling today and his match figures of 10 for 138, Barnett for his hundred yesterday.