fighting innings by kenya

fighting innings by kenya

Australia v Kenya, World Cup 2011, Group A, Bangalore

Mishra and Obuya hold up Australia

Tanmay Mishra

Australia's quick bowlers made predictable early breakthroughs but Kenya provided some resistance to reach 113 for 3 chasing an improbable 325. Brett Lee and Shaun Tait worked up decent pace in their first run-out for a week however, the support from Mitchell Johnson and Steve Smith was less convincing as Tanmay Mishra produced a classy innings.

There was swing for Lee and in his second over he found the outside of Maurice Ouma's bat, but already Alex Obanda had shown some guts when he upper cut Tait for six over third man. That, though, was nothing compared to the blow be unleashed in Tait's next over which sailed deep into the stand at long on after he'd picked a slower ball.

Tait managed a smile and shelved the slower deliveries. A bouncer whistled past Obanda's head before the batsman lost his composure against a low full toss which he tried to swing through the leg side.

The Obuya brothers, David and Collins, put their heads down and showed some grit to see off Lee and Tait only for their sibling understanding to let them down. David pushed the ball towards midwicket but Collins didn't move, leaving his brother stranded as he tried to get back and David gave a few home truths as he departed.

Mishra, though, showed some class with swift footwork against Smith to firstly pull him over midwicket for six then loft him through the off side. Collins Obuya managed to refocus after the run out to provide solid support as Smith was given an extended spell and Jason Krejza began his work.

Tait was recalled to the attack and sprayed a huge wide past the diving Brad Haddin then Mishra confidently drove Krejza through the covers. Australia remained firmly in control but they'll want to win in convincing style.

Australia 324 for 6 (Clarke 93, Hussey 54, Odhiambo 3-57) v Kenya

It was like he'd never been away for Michael Hussey as he slotted back into Australia's one-day side with a brisk 54 and Michael Clarke fell seven short of a hundred as Australia reached an imposing 324 for 6 against Kenya. Hussey and Clarke added 114 for the fifth wicket after the middle order suffered a small wobble against Kenya's spinners following Brad Haddin's workmanlike 65 which set a platform.

Although Clarke made the highest score it was Hussey's innings that was most significant as he returned from his serious hamstring injury with his brother, David, dropped to make space. He opened his account with a boundary off his first delivery and didn't drop below a run-a-ball. Although he'll face far tougher tasks than this Kenya unit, it was a more valuable innings than any net session could provide.

He was quick on his feet, gave the hamstring a good test with a few dives for the crease and his placement was as calculated as it always has been. The only time it let him down was when he picked out long-on during the batting Powerplay. Considering he'd only had two brief Sheffield Shield innings before coming to India it was remarkable how easy it looked even taking into account some friendly bowling.

Clarke, meanwhile, ticked over with minimal fuss after feeling his way in against the spinners on a surface that offered turn. His average in World Cup cricket is over 100 and the struggles of Australia's home season against England are now being put to the back of the mind. He regularly used his feet to chip down the pitch and drove sweetly through the off side on a ground that holds fond memories after his debut Test century in 2004.

After Hussey departed Clarke began to open up during the fielding restrictions and collected four boundaries in quick succession including a six over midwicket. He'd equalled his highest score in World Cup matches when he couldn't quite clear long-on to give the deserving Nehemiah Odhiambo his third wicket.

It has been an odd tournament so far for Australia with two facile victories against Zimbabwe and New Zealand followed by the rain-hit clash against Sri Lanka. Their form is hard to gauge and the lack of middle time for the batsmen could well have played a part in Ricky Ponting's decision to bat, although there were also signs the pitch may get slower and lower.

The openers were quickly out of the blocks with 31 runs in the first four overs as Shane Watson peppered the rope until he tried to cut Odhiambo and got a top edge to the keeper. Kenya asked for a review first ball against Ponting but the lbw was nowhere near and he was off the mark with a stylish swivel-pull.

However, Australia managed just 14 runs in seven overs before Ponting freed his arms to drive Elijah Otieno through point. Haddin was having particular trouble forcing the pace as he kept hitting the field and was fortunate when an edge flew past slip on 16, while he could have been run out on 25 when his bat got stuck in the adjacent pitch.

Steadily, though, the pair increased the scoring rate and Haddin brought up his fifty off 63 balls with a deft glide to third man only to pick out long-on attempting his second six. That began a good period for Kenya as Collins Obuya trapped Ponting lbw for a scratchy 36 after correctly opting to review the original not-out decision.

Cameron White, who retained his place ahead of David Hussey, continued his lean run when he was beaten by a ripping delivery from Jimmy Kamande to leave Australia on 143 for 4 and in need of some rebuilding. Clarke and Hussey did the job expertly.

Tanmay Mishra and Obuya hold up Australia

Australia v Kenya, World Cup 2011, Group A, Bangalore

Mishra and Obuya hold up Australia

Tanmay Mishra

Australia's quick bowlers made predictable early breakthroughs but Kenya provided some resistance to reach 113 for 3 chasing an improbable 325. Brett Lee and Shaun Tait worked up decent pace in their first run-out for a week however, the support from Mitchell Johnson and Steve Smith was less convincing as Tanmay Mishra produced a classy innings.

There was swing for Lee and in his second over he found the outside of Maurice Ouma's bat, but already Alex Obanda had shown some guts when he upper cut Tait for six over third man. That, though, was nothing compared to the blow be unleashed in Tait's next over which sailed deep into the stand at long on after he'd picked a slower ball.

Tait managed a smile and shelved the slower deliveries. A bouncer whistled past Obanda's head before the batsman lost his composure against a low full toss which he tried to swing through the leg side.

The Obuya brothers, David and Collins, put their heads down and showed some grit to see off Lee and Tait only for their sibling understanding to let them down. David pushed the ball towards midwicket but Collins didn't move, leaving his brother stranded as he tried to get back and David gave a few home truths as he departed.

Mishra, though, showed some class with swift footwork against Smith to firstly pull him over midwicket for six then loft him through the off side. Collins Obuya managed to refocus after the run out to provide solid support as Smith was given an extended spell and Jason Krejza began his work.

Tait was recalled to the attack and sprayed a huge wide past the diving Brad Haddin then Mishra confidently drove Krejza through the covers. Australia remained firmly in control but they'll want to win in convincing style.

Australia 324 for 6 (Clarke 93, Hussey 54, Odhiambo 3-57) v Kenya

It was like he'd never been away for Michael Hussey as he slotted back into Australia's one-day side with a brisk 54 and Michael Clarke fell seven short of a hundred as Australia reached an imposing 324 for 6 against Kenya. Hussey and Clarke added 114 for the fifth wicket after the middle order suffered a small wobble against Kenya's spinners following Brad Haddin's workmanlike 65 which set a platform.

Although Clarke made the highest score it was Hussey's innings that was most significant as he returned from his serious hamstring injury with his brother, David, dropped to make space. He opened his account with a boundary off his first delivery and didn't drop below a run-a-ball. Although he'll face far tougher tasks than this Kenya unit, it was a more valuable innings than any net session could provide.

He was quick on his feet, gave the hamstring a good test with a few dives for the crease and his placement was as calculated as it always has been. The only time it let him down was when he picked out long-on during the batting Powerplay. Considering he'd only had two brief Sheffield Shield innings before coming to India it was remarkable how easy it looked even taking into account some friendly bowling.

Clarke, meanwhile, ticked over with minimal fuss after feeling his way in against the spinners on a surface that offered turn. His average in World Cup cricket is over 100 and the struggles of Australia's home season against England are now being put to the back of the mind. He regularly used his feet to chip down the pitch and drove sweetly through the off side on a ground that holds fond memories after his debut Test century in 2004.

After Hussey departed Clarke began to open up during the fielding restrictions and collected four boundaries in quick succession including a six over midwicket. He'd equalled his highest score in World Cup matches when he couldn't quite clear long-on to give the deserving Nehemiah Odhiambo his third wicket.

It has been an odd tournament so far for Australia with two facile victories against Zimbabwe and New Zealand followed by the rain-hit clash against Sri Lanka. Their form is hard to gauge and the lack of middle time for the batsmen could well have played a part in Ricky Ponting's decision to bat, although there were also signs the pitch may get slower and lower.

The openers were quickly out of the blocks with 31 runs in the first four overs as Shane Watson peppered the rope until he tried to cut Odhiambo and got a top edge to the keeper. Kenya asked for a review first ball against Ponting but the lbw was nowhere near and he was off the mark with a stylish swivel-pull.

However, Australia managed just 14 runs in seven overs before Ponting freed his arms to drive Elijah Otieno through point. Haddin was having particular trouble forcing the pace as he kept hitting the field and was fortunate when an edge flew past slip on 16, while he could have been run out on 25 when his bat got stuck in the adjacent pitch.

Steadily, though, the pair increased the scoring rate and Haddin brought up his fifty off 63 balls with a deft glide to third man only to pick out long-on attempting his second six. That began a good period for Kenya as Collins Obuya trapped Ponting lbw for a scratchy 36 after correctly opting to review the original not-out decision.

Cameron White, who retained his place ahead of David Hussey, continued his lean run when he was beaten by a ripping delivery from Jimmy Kamande to leave Australia on 143 for 4 and in need of some rebuilding. Clarke and Hussey did the job expertly.

Canada v Kenya, Group A, World Cup 2011, Delhi

Mishra and Odoyo lift Kenya to 198

Tanmay Mishra

Jimmy Kamande, the Kenya captain, had set his batsmen the modest target of playing out 50 overs after they were swept aside cheaply in each of their three previous matches in the World Cup, a goal they just about achieved through gutsy half-centuries from Tanmay Mishra and Thomas Odoyo. That had seemed unlikely when Canada's quick bowler Henry Osinde ripped through the top order to leave Kenya gasping at 57 for 5 after 15 overs, but Mishra patched together two reviving stands with Kamande and Odoyo to steer them to their best batting performance of the tournament.

It was a slow pitch at Feroz Shah Kotla though it wasn't as tough a track to bat on as the Kenyans made it seem early on. Osinde was getting the ball to swerve a touch at the start, and that provided him with a wicket off the second delivery of the match, when Maurice Ouma was drawn towards the ball and edged it to slip as he belatedly tried to leave. Seren Waters, the promising opener, was next to go, playing down the wrong line to be bowled for 2. David Obuya became Osinde's third victim, nicking to the keeper as Kenya slid to 21 for 3.

Collins Obuya was the most confident batsman early on, unafraid to loft the ball over the infield as he crashed a six and a four in 20-year-old Parth Desai's first over on World Cup debut to sprint to 27 off 24, when the rest of side had managed only four off 23 deliveries. With the most experienced player in the side, Steve Tikolo, assisting him, a recovery started but that ended with a horrible attempted swipe from Obuya, missing the ball to be bowled.

There was more trouble for Kenya when Tikolo was adjudged lbw on review, though the replays suggested there was an inside edge. From 57 for 5, though, Kamande and Tanmay Mishra then led the resistance, keeping out the easier offerings of Jimmy Hansra and Rizwan Cheema. Just as the partnership started to gather momentum, the legspinner Balaji Rao struck, getting Kamande caught-behind.

Mishra continued to grind it out, holding the innings together with a series of singles - 33 of his 51 runs were singles. He was at the crease as early as the 12th over, but it wasn't till as late as the 42nd that he reached his half-century. Odoyo was far more aggressive, launching the ball through the off side or down the ground whenever it was pitched up. There was some panicky running, but the Canadian fielding was never sharp enough to capitalise.

The pair added 57 before Mishra perished in the 43rd over; Kenya missing a trick by not choosing the batting Powerplay when the two were together. That meant there was no big flourish at the death, and Kenya were bowled out on the final delivery by an inch-perfect yorker from Baidwan.