Odumbe takes Kenya to dreamland of Super Six

Kenya made history by becoming the first non–Test playing nation to qualify for the World Cup Super Sixes when they beat Bangladesh by 32 runs at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.

All–rounder Maurice Odumbe produced an inspired performance with both ball and bat.

He first rescued the Kenyan innings with a quickfire 52 not out off 46 balls at a time when 200 looked like an impossible total.

The right–armer then picked the destruction job with the ball to take four wickets for 23 runs from his 10 overs as Bangladesh were skittled out for 185.

The victory leaves Kenya with 16 points, four of which were forfeited by New Zealand after refusing to play their match in Nairobi, and guarantees an unlikely place in the Super Sixes even if they lose to the West Indies in Kimberly.

Tushar Imran made 48 from 81 balls, but when number six Akram Khan went six short of his half–century from 60 deliveries at 180 for nine, any chance of snatching a dramatic win went with him.

Stephen Tikolo was the pick of the other bowlers, returning three for 14 in his 5.2 overs to help wrap up the tail.

Earlier, Bangladesh's bowlers restricted Kenya to 217 for seven.

Kenya were in trouble from the first over in which the inconsistent opener Kennedy Otieno was dismissed on the third ball of the match, edging Manjural Islam to wicketkeeper Khaled Mashud.

Odumbe then smashed four boundaries on his way to a rapid 52 off 46 balls, as he recorded his ninth one–day international half–century.

Brijal Patel (32) steadied the Kenyan innings after coming in at number three and shared a stand of 67, but he was caught in the trying to hook Manjural over fine leg in the 17th over.

Shah (37) was Kenya's next–best score, but after his departure the run–rate dropped to a trickle of singles and twos as Bangladesh tightened the screws until Odumbe arrived on the crease.

Captain Steve Tikolo helped the Kenyan score on with 27 off 45 balls, but was bowled by Sanwar Hossain as he tried to sweep the right arm spinner, leaving Kenya reeling at 116 for four in the 32 over.

Leg spinner Collins Obuya, who took five wickets against Sri Lanka, also contributed a priceless run–a–ball 22 which included one four and the only six of the innings.

Bangladesh, appearing determined to end their miserable World Cup with a win, put Kenya under a lot of pressure, especially after the early dismissal of Otieno.

Such was the tight nature of their bowling that Kenya went without a boundary for 60 balls between the 28th and the 40th over.

Hossain finished with three wickets for 49 with Manjural, Tapash Baisya, Khaled Mahmud and Mohammad Rafique taking one each.

Scoreboard

Kenya won toss

Kenya
K O Otieno c Khaled Mashud b Manjural 10
R D Shah c Akram Khan b Mohammad Rafi 37
B J Patel c Manjural Islam b Khaled Mahmud 32
S O Tikolo b Sanwar Hossain 27
H S Modi c and b Sanwar Hossain 12
M O Odumbe not out 52
T M Odoyo lbw b Sanwar Hossain 19
C O Obuya b Tapash Baisya 22
P J Ongondo not out 2
Extras (b1, lb2, w11) 14
Total (for 7, 50 overs) 217

Fall: 1-1 2-68 3-80 4-116 5-124 6-164 7-197.

Did not bat: A O Suji, M A Suji.

Bowling: Manjural Islam 7-0-30-1, Tapash Baisya 8-1-22-1, Khaled Mahmud 10-1-39-1, Mohammad Rafique 7-0-35-1, Sanwar Hossain 10-0-49-3, Alok Kapali 2-0-9-0, Mohammad Ashraful 6-0-30-0.

Bangladesh

Sahariar c Otieno b M A Suji 14
Mohammad Ashraful lbw b M A Suji 1
Tushar Imran c sub b Odumbe 48
Khaled Mashud c Shah b C O Obuya 14
Alok Kapali c Otieno b Odumbe 18
Akram Khan c sub b Tikolo 44
Sanwar Hossain c M A Suji b Odumbe 16
Khaled Mahmud st Otieno b Odumbe 3
Mohammad Rafique c Modi b Tikolo 5
Tapash Baisya not out 2
Manjural Islam st Otieno b Tikolo 2
Extras (b2 lb3 w10 nb3) 18
Total (47.2 overs) 185

Fall: 1-16 2-17 3-53 4-99 5-111 6-151 7-158 8-180 9-180.

Bowling: M A Suji 8-1-27-2; Odoyo 4-0-9-0; Ongondo 7-0-29-0; C O Obuya 9-0-40-1; A O Suji 4-0-23-0; Odumbe 10-0-38-4; Tikolo 5.2-0-14-3.

Umpires: E A R de Silva (SL) and N A Mallender (Eng).