Namibia battle back after early setbacks

Kenya 148 for 5 (Tikolo 45) trail Namibia 183 (Verwey 43*, Varaiya 3-33, Tikolo 3-24) by 35 runs
Scorecard

	Home away from home: Kenya's players celebrate an early wicket © Getty Images

Namibia fought back gamely following a poor batting display on the first day of the top-of-the-table Intercontinental Cup match in Sharjah after being bowled out for 183. By the close Kenya, who had been 42 for 4, had reached 148 for 5.

In the build-up to the game Steve Tikolo, Kenya's captain, had expressed concerns about the alien conditions, and on winning the toss he stuck Namibia, coming into the match on the back of a win over UAE last week, in. The move paid off as his seamers made early breakthroughs before Kenya's three-pronged spin attack made the most of a surface already taking turn. Hiren Varaiya and Jimmy Kamande pegged back the middle-order, all of whom got starts, and then Steve Tikolo came on to mop up the tail.

The first part of Tikolo's gamble had paid off, but faced with batting in the fourth innings Kenya needed a decent first-innings lead. Although Maurice Ouma started confidently - he made 32 of the first 42 - wickets tumbled at the other end.

Tikolo and Collins Obuya, two of the stars of Kenya's 2003 World Cup, stopped the rot and added 66 for the fourth wicket. Tikolo, however, fell for 45 but Thomas Odoyo and Obuya saw them through to the close. AJ Burger, whose legspin took seven wickets against UAE, was less effective but is likely to be more of a threat as the match goes on.