Kamande the key as Kenya fight

Kenya 239 for 6 (Kamande 65*, Obuya 64, Ouma 52) trail Ireland 404 by 165 runs
Scorecard

Maurice Ouma cracked fifty on his first international outing as the new Kenya captain, as his side produced a reasonable second day's play in response to Ireland's dominant first innings of 404.

By stumps, Kenya had reduced the deficit to 165 with Ouma, David Obuya and Jimmy Kamande, Ouma's deputy, all reaching fifty. Kamande was unbeaten on 65 and Kenya urgently need him to reach three figures if they're to threaten Ireland's first innings total.

Ireland resumed on 323 for 7 and were indebted to Regan West that they passed the 400 mark. West, whose square build and jaw resemble that of a rugby No. 8 rather than a left-arm tweaker and occasional seamer, flogged 44 from 50 balls with nine fours. With Kyle McCallan contributing 25, Ireland lifted their total to a challenging 404, and their bowlers were quickly up to pace in Kenya's reply as Trent Johnston removed Kennedy Otieno for 8.

Seren Waters dug deep with 26, putting on 53 for the second wicket with Obuya, but he fell to McCallan and Steve Tikolo, the former captain, departed for just a single when Andrew White trapped him leg-before.

Obuya resisted, however, stroking five fours and lifting two sixes, and appeared to be settling into a big partnership with Ouma until on 64 he became the first of two wickets for West. West removed Obuya's brother, Collins, ten overs later but Ouma and Kamande put on the day's biggest stand for the sixth wicket, in 24.3 overs, as Kenya passed 200.

Nothing is ever straightforward in Kenyan cricket, however. While the going was good, it took a hapless piece of cricket to end it when Kamande called his captain through for an unlikely single, and McCallan threw down the stumps from midwicket. Ouma glared at Kamande as he trudged back to the pavilion, and all the pressure is now on his deputy to produce an innings of substance on day three.