Obuya steers Kenya to two-wicket win

Collins Obuya's steady half-century shepherded Kenya to a two-wicket win against Netherlands in a chase that turned a bit shaky towards the end, courtesy Peter Borren's two wickets late in the chase. The win moved Kenya to fourth on the tournament's points table.

A middling target of 225 was not the real challenge for Kenya as much as the regular wickets that fell in their chase. They began the last 10 overs needing 49 runs with five wickets in hand and the settled sixth-wicket pair of Obuya and Nelson Odhiambo, went about taking Kenya gradually closer. However, Netherlands had a glimmer when they dismissed Nelson and Gurdeep Singh in the space of a few overs. Obuya, however, thwarted those hopes with his second consecutive List A half-century against Netherlands. Obuya's innings built on a stabilizing half-century from Dhiren Gondaria (69), who also made his second-successive List A fifty against Netherlands.

Netherlands' position at the top of the WCL Championship table was unaffected by the loss but they would rue the batting slump that prevented them from setting a higher target for Kenya. The openers, Stephan Myburgh and Wesley Barresi, had put together 120 runs in a little over 20 overs but Netherlands slumped once Barresi was out for a 74-ball 69: they went from 120 for 0 to 134 for 4 in a span of five overs, Shem Ngoche and Rakep Patel taking two each. Myburgh was also dismissed in that period for a 58-ball 50.

Michael Rippon, who had a fifty in a win against Kenya two days back, fashioned a rescue act. His 75-ball 51 helped Netherlands eventually reach 224 for 9. Ngoche took his second List A five-for for returns of 4 for 33.

The final matches of this round of the WCL Championship, between Hong Kong and Nepal, will be played on October 13 and 15 in Mong Kok.