ICC Intercontinental Cup and Shield

KENYA v NETHERLANDS With some 50 mm of rain falling overnight, it was surprising that play was able to start as early as after lunch on the first day. The Dutch decided to bat first against a home side missing Steve Tikolo and the best of their pace bowlers. Nevertheless, Nehemiah Odhiambo and Elijah Otieno exploited the conditions well, troubling the Dutch top order with swing. Only Alexei Kervezee seemed able to cope as two wickets went down for 20, but he became the third dismissal of the day having made 42 out of the 64 runs. Nick Statham struggled for 48 balls before becoming Nehemiah Odhiambo’s third victim. As conditions eased, however, Ryan ten Doeschate and Peter Borren took control. The Kenyan attack was made to look innocuous and it received little support in the field as four catches were dropped and two run-out chances missed. A fifth-wicket partnership of 113 ended when Borren also fell to Nehemiah Odhiambo. Hiren Varaiya removed Mudassar Bukhari but Atse Buurman helped ten Doeschate to an unbeaten partnership of 83 by the close. Ten Doeschate went to his century off 141 balls and continued to 129 not out. The second day was initially dominated by ten Doeschate who obtained his double-century off 267 balls and scored 83 of the 109 runs added by The Netherlands. Buurman went without adding to his overnight score and the last three batsmen made only 12 runs between them; their contribution was that they survived and allowed ten Doeschate to prosper. The last-wicket partnership added 43, with Pieter Seelaar contributing none from his 23 balls. The rest of the day belonged to Kenya. After Rakep Patel edged ten Doeschate to the wicketkeeper with the score on 28, David and Collins Obuya responded with a stand of 203. David Obuya reached his century off only 148 balls as the Dutch struggled to control the run rate. Although Collins Obuya was bowled by Mark Jonkman near the end of the day, Kenya had made 235 at the close off 56 overs, a strike rate of 69.9. Collins Obuya’s 89 contained 14 boundaries and of the 56 overs of the Kenyan innings thus far, only five were maidens. The Dutch came back strongly on the third morning, ten Doeschate removing both overnight batsmen, neither adding to their scores. Alex Obanda then played a poor shot to Seelaar and gave Bas Zuiderent an easy catch at mid off. These wickets, however, proved a mere wobble in Kenya’s innings as Maurice Ouma and Jimmy Kamande added 90. Ten Doeschate eventually induced both to offer catches to achieve a five-wicket haul, but by this time Kenya had moved into the lead. Nehemiah Odhiambo ensured that this became a useful one of 48 with an undefeated half-century from 54 balls. The efforts of Kenya’s batsmen were undone by bowling that was at best lacklustre and fielding that was little better. Kervezee and Eric Szwarczynski were in excellent form, scoring at a strike rate of 55.9. Their partnership reached 178 by the close, placing the Dutch in a strong position, a lead of 130 runs and all ten wickets in hand. The Dutch opening partnership ended quickly on the last morning for an addition of only nine runs, but Statham, ten Doeschate, Borren and Buurman all kept the score moving. Borren chose to declare with a lead of 319 and enough time in the day for 62 overs. Kenya started with a century opening partnership at a strike rate of 73.3. David Obuya was the first to go, only to be replaced by an even more confident Collins Obuya. The latter was not fazed by the loss of Patel who, following two superb strikes for six, became too adventurous, advancing down the wicket to Seelaar, only to be stumped. With strike rates of 82.2 and 83.3, Collins Obuya and Obanda took Kenya ever closer to their target. The Dutch bowlers kept persevering without any assistance from the pitch or the atmosphere, but ten Doeschate was able to remove both batsmen. Borren agreed to the continuation of play as darkness loomed in the hope that Kenya would panic and a victory could be obtained. When Ouma was run out, Dutch hopes were raised but Kamande and Nehemiah Odhiambo kept calm. With dusk passing into nightfall Kamande scrambled a bye for the vital run which gave Kenya victory by five wickets, shortly after 6.30 pm, in what was almost certain to be the last over. Given that it was unlikely that, on a good batting pitch, the Dutch would succeed in bowling Kenya out, the declaration turned out to be just a shade too generous. 200 ICC Intercontinental Cup 2009-10