Kenya start with a bang

Kenya got their ICC World League Division 1 campaign off to a flying start on Monday with an emphatic 10-wicket victory over Bermuda at Jaffery Sports Club in Nairobi.

The home team won the toss and opted to bowl, and managed to skittle out their opponents for 133 with more than 10 overs to spare, despite a creditable half-century from opener Dean Minors.

The Africans then rattled off 137 with the minimum fuss, Maurice Ouma doing his World Cup prospects no harm at all with an unbeaten 57 and man-of-the-match David Obuya notching 74. Kenya headed into the tournament in high spirits after emerging victorious from the Mombasa tri-series earlier this month, and again with the benefit of playing at home - a considerable advantage given the location is 5,000 feet above sea level.

With 82 ODIs already under their belts, Kenya started the tournament as favourites to win and therefore clinch a place at the inaugural ICC Twenty20 World Championships in South Africa in September.

The match was brought forward 24 hours in order to avoid a clash with the Islamic holiday commemorating the Day of Ashura, giving the Bermudans only three days in Africa to acclimatise.

Veteran Kenya captain Steve Tikolo's decision at the toss paid dividends in the very first over when Thomas Odoyo trapped Clay Smith leg before wicket with the third ball of the day.

Bermuda, the surprise packages of the ICC Trophy two years ago when they finished fourth to qualify for this year's Cricket World Cup, were soon two down when skipper Irving Romaine was caught at cover by Tanmay Mishra off the bowling of Peter Ongondo after scoring six.

Saleem Mukuddem came in at number four as the Bermudans looked to steady the ship. But he did not hang around for long, adding only eight to the total before edging an Ongondo delivery to Ravi Shah at first slip.

Ongondo swiftly struck again, having David Hemp caught behind by wicketkeeper Ouma for four as Bermuda slipped to 44 for four after 14 overs.

Minors completed his half-century but then lost another partner when Tucker departed lbw to Hiren Varaiya for 17.

Minors himself was next to go, ending a decent knock of 52 off 76 balls when he was caught and bowled by Tikolo.

The Bermudan wickets continued to tumble - Delyone Borden run out without troubling the scorers, Lionel Caan falling lbw to Varaiya for nine and Malachi Jones bowled by Tikolo for three. Kevin Hurdle was the last man out, caught by Tikolo off Lameck Onyango for a respectable 23 - the second highest score of the innings behind Minors.

But the total was hardly one which could be defended against a Kenyan opening pair in determined mood.