Netherlands level series with emphatic win

Netherlands 200 (Zuiderent 56, Buurman 30, Varaiya 4-33) beat Kenya 120 (Kamande 42, Bukhari 3-17) by 80 runs
Scorecard

Netherlands drew level with Kenya after an emphatic win in the second one-day international at the Nairobi Gymkhana. Bas Zuiderent's 56 was the only highlight in another disappointing Dutch batting performance, but their bowlers made amends for their performance yesterday with a strong allround effort to bowl Kenya out for just 120 in 32 overs to seal an 80-run win.

Mudassar Bukhari started Kenya's collapse when he found the edge of David Obuya's bat with the third ball of the innings, and also picked up Rakep Patel - who hit a career-best 92 in Kenya's victory in the first match - in an impressive opening spell. Two balls later the other architect of yesterday's win, Alex Obanda, was gone too, his stumps shattered by Mark Jonkman to leave Kenya in trouble at 22 for 3. Captain Maurice Ouma was trapped lbw shortly after to give Bukhari his third wicket, as Kenya sank further into the mire.

Jimmy Kamande and Collins Obuya, who plays as a specialist batsman these days, combined to see off the opening bowlers, and were beginning to find some fluency when Obuya picked out Alexei Kervezee off Pieter Seelaar's left-arm spin to depart for 21. Joined by Nehemiah Odhiambo, Kamande continued to fight, striking two fours and a six to reduce the target to under 100 runs.

When Odhiambo was caught behind off Peter Borren, however, a long Kenyan tail was exposed and they rapidly slid to defeat. Shem Obado was bowled first ball, and after Ryan ten Doeschate ended Kamande's resistance for 42, Jonkman returned to mop up the tail, dismissing Hiren Varaiya and Nelson Odhiambo in consecutive balls.

Kenya had looked set to wrap up the series when they bowled Netherlands out for 200 in the 49th over. With wickets falling regularly, Zuiderent's half-century at the top of the order, as well as important contributions from the 18-year-old Tim Gruijters and Atse Buurman, were vitally important to Netherlands' innings.

After the early loss of the openers, Varaiya cut short Zuiderent and ten Doeschate's consolidation, trapping yesterday's centurion lbw for 9. Zuiderent fell in similar fashion shortly after Borren's run out, and Netherlands looked decidedly shaky at 150 for 7 when Tom de Grooth and Bukhari were dismissed in quick succession by Odhiambo. But Gruijters and Buurman battled gamely, adding 40 for the eighth wicket before Varaiya brought the innings to a swift conclusion to finish with figures of 4 for 33.

Netherlands' tour of Kenya continues with a four-day game at the same venue in two days' time. With the sides appearing very evenly matched, it is set to be a hard-fought encounter.