Obuya, Ngoche give Kenya seven-run win
Collins Obuya's half-century and some tidy bowling helped Kenya quell Oman's chase by seven runs and register their second straight win in the World T20 Qualifier in Edinburgh
ESPNcricinfo staff
11-Jul-2015
Kenya 143 for 7 (Obuya 50, Ranpura 2-17, Ansari 2-23) beat Oman 136 for 7 (Jatinder 31, Amir 30, Ngoche 3-25) by seven runs
Full scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Full scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Collins Obuya's half-century and some tidy bowling helped Kenya quell Oman's chase by seven runs and register their second straight win in the World T20 Qualifier in Edinburgh.
Sent in to bat, Kenya were off to a steady, if not racy, start, their openers, Narendra Kalyan and Irfan Karim, adding 29 runs before Rajeshkumar Ranpura accounted for Karim in the sixth over. Two overs later, Kalyan was trapped in front by Zeeshan Maqsood to reduce Kenya to 33 for 2.
Obuya and Nehemiah Odhiambo then joined hands to raise 39 runs in 4.5 overs. After Odhiambo's dismissal, Obuya put on 52 in 5.5 overs in the company of captain Rakep Patel, who scored 21 off 15 balls, to increase the run rate.
Obuya brought up his fifty off 34 balls with a six off Ranpura in the 18th over, but he perished three balls later. Kenya scored 45 in their last five overs to finish with 143. Debutants Munis Ansari and Maqsood picked up two wickets each along with Ranpura, who gave away only 17 runs in four overs.
Oman's reply was stifled by some thrifty bowling from left-arm seamer Lucas Oluoch and left-arm spinner Shem Ngoche. Oman managed to score only 25 in the Powerplay, with two maidens from Oluoch, and were on 49 for 3 after 10 overs, Ngoche picking up two of the wickets while Oluoch bowled four overs on the trot, giving away only 10 runs.
Oman struggled to get any partnerships going at the top of the order with Jatinder Singh, with 31 off 34 balls, making the only substantial contribution. They, however, gave Kenya a scare at the back end as No. 7 Amir Ali smashed a 20-ball 30 to bring Oman closer to the target. With 24 required off the last over, he was dismissed by Odhiambo off the third delivery, effectively ending Oman's hopes. Ngoche finished with figures of 3 for 25.