Comprehensive win for Kenya

Kenya 237 for 9 (Kamande 68, Tikolo 50, Thuraisingam, 2-35) beat Canada 129 (Codrington 40, Varaiya 3-24) by 108 runs
Scorecard

Kenya won the first one-dayer against Canada at the Toronto Cricket Club by a comfortable 107 runs. Despite this margin, Canada bowled and fielded well in the opinions of both coaches - their own Andy Pick and also Kenya's coach Roger Harper. But once again the Canadian batting lacked discipline in the one-day format.

Yet if the result was routine, the after-match speech provided the most surprise. In a bizarre speech at the conclusion of the game, the Canadian players were clearly stunned by Canadian Cricket Association President, Ben Sennik, saying 'he was glad Kenya won.' He commented on his Kenyan heritage and how Canada could learn from the Kenyans, but his remarks neglected an understanding of Canada's fine win this week over Kenya in the Intercontinental Cup.

James Kemande top-scored for Kenya, making 68, and he received solid support from captain Steve Tikolo, who posted 50. Tanmay Mishra added 38 useful runs in the later stages and the opener Kennedy Obuya made 36. But Tikolo said later that he thought his team "were 20 to 30 runs short" of what they should have made.

Sanjay Thuraisingham was the pick of the Canadian bowlers, ending with 4 for 35 in 9 overs. He bowled a very tight line in his first spell. He bowled a good line in his first spell, conceding only 2 runs an over, despite there being nothing in the wicket.

The Canadian innings never got going and the familiar theme of shot selection proved a problem, as it had in this season's opening ODI's in Trinidad. Too many wickets were lost to careless strokes, and the total of 129 all out was a disappointment. George Codrington provided the main resistance, making 40. The slow left-arm bowler Hiren Varaiya took 3-24 for Kenya.

It was a frustrating batting performance for Pick. "The batting embarrassed us again," he said. "It did in Trinidad, and it did again today." As in Trinidad, where Canada lost to Zimbabwe and Bermuda, he was happy with the bowling and fielding. "Something, somewhere in the top five has to change."

The sides meet again on Sunday at the Toronto Cricket Club. Play begins at 10 am.