Kenyans crush sorry Canada

Kenya secured their place in the ICC World Cricket League Division 1 final with a comprehensive 158-run victory over Canada at Jaffery Sports Club on Monday.

Heading into the encounter, Roger Harper's side were in pole position to clinch a date with Scotland at Gymkhana on Wednesday due to their superior net run-rate, but could mathematically have been overtaken in the standings by Canada or the Netherlands.

Kenya captain Steve Tikolo won what turned out to be a crucial toss and, unsurprisingly given the circumstances, opted to bat first. His side made 250 for nine, meaning the Canadians had to knock off the runs in double-quick time to stand any chance of advancing.

Andy Pick's team had nothing to lose and duly gave it a bash, but it went spectacularly wrong as man-of-the-match Thomas Odoyo and Peter Ongondo ripped through their battling line-up and skittled the North Americans out for 92 in just 14.5 overs.

Each side made one change, with Lameck Onyango replacing Nehemiah Odhiambo for Kenya while Austin Codrington came in for Umar Bhatti in the Canadian side.

It started brightly for Canada, with both Kenyan openers falling cheaply.

David Obuya was caught behind by Ashish Bagai off Henry Osinde for three and then Maurice Ouma edged to Ashif Mulla at second slip off Anderson Cummins for four.

That left the hosts struggling on 14 for two, but saw experienced campaigners Ravi Shah and Tikolo link up in the middle.

The pair put on 62 for the third wicket before departing in successive Sunil Dhaniram overs. Shah - who returned to the Kenya side after a two-year absence in the recent Mombasa tri-series - clipped to John Davison at mid-on for 39, and then skipper Tikolo was caught and bowled by the slow left-armer for 23.

The double blow proved only a minor setback for Harper's side, with Tanmay Mishra and Collins Obuya going on to share a 107-run stand for the fifth wicket.

Mishra passed his half-century but his partner mis-timed a pull shot two runs short of his 50, finding George Codrington off the bowling of Dhaniram.

The 20-year-old followed Obuya back to the pavilion shortly afterwards.

After making 62, he chipped a George Codrington delivery to mid-wicket, where Davison took his second catch of the day.

Odoyo made a brisk 15 from 12 balls before being caught by Qaiser Ali off Osinde, who then dropped a chance offered by Onyango off the bowling of Cummins.

Osinde was in the thick of the action towards the end, trapping Jimmy Kamande leg before wicket for 12 and then having Ongondo caught by Ali without adding to the total to leave Kenya 238 for nine.

Not for the first time, Cummins was unfortunate not to pick up a wicket when he saw Onyango dropped by substitute Don Maxwell as Canada were unable to finish off the Kenyans, who batted out their 50 overs and took the score up to 250.

Canada knew they had to get the runs quickly in order to not only win but also improve their net run-rate sufficiently to overtake Kenya in the standings and have any chance of reaching Wednesday's final.

But they got off to the worse start possible, with the loss of seven wickets within the first 10 overs - four to Odoyo.

Ashif Mulla managed one boundary and then, still in the opening over, mis-hit an attempted big one which Collins Obuya did well to get underneath and hold onto.

Then Desmond Chumney was caught by David Obuya after making 14, and Abdool Samad edged to Tikolo at slip for seven to leave Canada 33 for three within four overs.

Ongondo got in on the act in the next over, having Bagai - who made two centuries in the competition - hole out to Shah for five, and when Ali was then promptly bowled by Odoyo for nought, the writing was on the wall for Canada.

Still, all was not lost with Davison - scorer of the fastest century in ICC Cricket World Cup history - at the crease.

But when he misjudged one and became Ongondo's second victim after making 10, Canada were left reeling on 50 for six.

Dhaniram, on seven, soon went the same way thanks to a superb catch by Tikolo off Ongondo, and Cummins' smash intended for the deep square-leg boundary only succeeded in finding the hands of Odoyo after he had added eight.

Ongondo completed his five-for when he had Austin Codrington caught behind by Ouma for five and then Onyango finished matters off by trapping George Codrington lbw for 24 to complete an emphatic win.

The triumph earns the Kenyans not only a place in Wednesday's final against Scotland but also a place at the inaugural ICC Twenty20 World Championships in South Africa later this year.