Dutch take control as Kenya struggle

Kenya 135 for 5 (Tikolo 50*) trail Netherlands 474 (ten Doeschate 158, van Troost 86, Schiferli 69) by 339 runs
Scorecard

Edgar Schiferli comes in after making 69 © David Waters / Cricinfo

Netherlands ended the second day of their Intercontinental Cup tie against Kenya at Nairobi Gymkhana in a commanding position after scoring 474 and reducing the home side to 135 for 5 at stumps. Only Steve Tikolo, unbeaten on 50 at the close, stands between Netherlands and a large, probably match-winning, first-innings lead.

Kenya had fought back well on the first evening, but they failed to make any inroads after showers had delayed the start today. Their only success of the morning came when Jeroen Smits was bowled by the impressive Thomas Odoyo for 8, but runs flowed as Luuk van Troost was cutting loose at the other end.

He found a valuable partner in Edgar Schiferli, the pair adding a competition-record 95 for the ninth wicket. Schiferli was far from daunted by a wilting attack, dominating the partnership with a 95-ball 69, while van Trrost, who was dropped by wicketkeeper Maurice Ouma immediately after lunch, began to open up in the afternoon as clouds gathered, eventually holing-out to Odoyo at long-on off Collins Obuya.

As he departed for a well-made 86, the rain returned causing another 45-minute delay. Schiferli swatted the first ball after the restart from Tikolo for six over long-on, before finally perishing to a good catch in the deep by Obuya off the persevering Peter Ongondo. Netherlands' total was the highest in the competition's history and Kenya were left needing something special to stay in the game.

Maurice Ouma digs out a yorker from Edgar Schiferli © David Waters / Cricinfo

They were already without Hitesh Modi, who broke a finger yesterday, and so their batting line-up looked even more dependant than usual on Tikolo. They needed a good start, but they lost Ouma to the last ball before tea, well caught low down by Jeroen Smits, and never regained the initiative. Brijal Patel, whose recall had raised an eyebrow or two, fell for 22 and in the next over Tony Suji was bowled by Schiferli for 11 to leave them wobbling on 50 for 3.

Although Tikolo looked assured, the worry was who would stay with him. The precocious Tanmay Mishra again looked more than capable before he perished for 16, and when the in-form Obuya was cleaned up by Mohammad Kashif shortly before the close, it was hard to see any way back into the match for the Kenyans.