Kenya's youngsters shine a light

Kenya 329 for 6 (Ouma 72, Patel 71, Obanda 57, Waters 55) beat Uganda 130 (Varaiya 3-18, J Otieno 3-27) by 199 runs
Scorecard

Kenya finished a mixed 2009 with a resounding 199-run victory over neighbours Uganda, a result which made all the sweeter as it came on the back of some good performances from their younger players. It also rounded off a 3-0 series whitewash over the Ugandans, consolation for their losses in the two Twenty20 games which preceded the series.

Maurice Ouma (72) and Seren Waters (55), briefly back in the country from university in England, set the innings off with a stand of 118, but the headlines were made by the in-form Rakep Patel who smashed 71 off 29 balls, including eight sixes. The tail all chipped in, and a total of 329 for 6 was never seriously in doubt from a Ugandan side whose confidence had visibly wilted.

Roger Mukasa fell to the first delivery, but a second-wicket stand of 75 between Akbar Baig and top scorer Frank Nsubuga (43) briefly raised hopes, but a double strike from James Ngoche (3 for 27) all but ended them. Thereafter, the innings fell away and the the last nine wickets added only 55.

While the one-day games went as expected, the concern remains Kenya's Twenty20 form ahead of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifiers early next year. One source close to the team admitted that "we just don't know how to play the game". Their new coach Eldine Baptise has little time to teach them.