Canada win battle of the minnows
Kenya batting falters as Osinde shines with the ball.
NEW DEHLI:
Jimmy Hansra struck a fine half-century under pressure as Canada defeated Kenya by five wickets to register only their second victory ever in a World Cup.
Hansra hit seven fours and two sixes in his career-best knock of 70, to help Canada overhaul Kenya’s 198 with 27 balls to spare. The India-born Hansra, who came in to bat with the team reeling at 48 for three, put on 132 for the fourth wicket with captain Ashish Bagai to ensure the efforts of fast-bowler Henry Osinde (four for 26) did not go to waste. Bagai remained unbeaten on 64.
Captain impressed by team
“I was disappointed in myself and my team over the last three or four games,” said Bagai. “So it was good to get some runs under the belt. Jimmy played a fantastic knock and both of us did a great job to get us over the line.”
Disappointed Kenya captain Jimmy Kamande felt that his team had done well to recover from a poor start and felt they could have posted a total of 220 or 230, which would have been defendable.
“We started off very, very badly and I thought it was a good recovery.”
The result had little bearing on the quarter-final hopes of either teams. Canada’s chase began in dramatic fashion with opener Rizwan Cheema being ruled leg before wicket off the second ball of the first over but the batsman asked for a review and the decision was overturned.
Cheema though did not last long as he was bowled by Elijah Otieno after carting the paceman for a six and a four in the same over. Zubin Sarkari was run out by a direct throw from Kamande and opener Ruvindu Gunasekera was stumped off the bowling of off-spinner James Ngoche, who could have picked up a second wicket in the same over when Hansra lofted him straight to mid-on but Seren Waters dropped a sitter, a mistake that was to cost the Kenyans.
Osinde destroys Kenya
Earlier, Osinde picked up three wickets in his opening spell to help reduce Kenya to 57 for five by the 15th over before a fightback by Tanmay Mishra and Thomas Odoyo. Mishra hit a composed 73-ball 51 for his fourth half-century in One-Day Internationals and Odoyo also chipped in with 51. The fast-bowler struck early for Canada, removing opener Morris Ouma off the second ball of the innings and his partner Waters in the fifth over.
The paceman then sent back David Obuya to grab his third wicket before Harvir Baidwan brought an end to a promising knock by Collins Obuya (31). Kamande sought to rebuild the innings with Mishra, putting on 52 runs for the sixth wicket but leg-spinner Balaji Rao had him caught behind for 22.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 8th, 2011.
Jimmy Hansra struck a fine half-century under pressure as Canada defeated Kenya by five wickets to register only their second victory ever in a World Cup.
Hansra hit seven fours and two sixes in his career-best knock of 70, to help Canada overhaul Kenya’s 198 with 27 balls to spare. The India-born Hansra, who came in to bat with the team reeling at 48 for three, put on 132 for the fourth wicket with captain Ashish Bagai to ensure the efforts of fast-bowler Henry Osinde (four for 26) did not go to waste. Bagai remained unbeaten on 64.
Captain impressed by team
“I was disappointed in myself and my team over the last three or four games,” said Bagai. “So it was good to get some runs under the belt. Jimmy played a fantastic knock and both of us did a great job to get us over the line.”
Disappointed Kenya captain Jimmy Kamande felt that his team had done well to recover from a poor start and felt they could have posted a total of 220 or 230, which would have been defendable.
“We started off very, very badly and I thought it was a good recovery.”
The result had little bearing on the quarter-final hopes of either teams. Canada’s chase began in dramatic fashion with opener Rizwan Cheema being ruled leg before wicket off the second ball of the first over but the batsman asked for a review and the decision was overturned.
Cheema though did not last long as he was bowled by Elijah Otieno after carting the paceman for a six and a four in the same over. Zubin Sarkari was run out by a direct throw from Kamande and opener Ruvindu Gunasekera was stumped off the bowling of off-spinner James Ngoche, who could have picked up a second wicket in the same over when Hansra lofted him straight to mid-on but Seren Waters dropped a sitter, a mistake that was to cost the Kenyans.
Osinde destroys Kenya
Earlier, Osinde picked up three wickets in his opening spell to help reduce Kenya to 57 for five by the 15th over before a fightback by Tanmay Mishra and Thomas Odoyo. Mishra hit a composed 73-ball 51 for his fourth half-century in One-Day Internationals and Odoyo also chipped in with 51. The fast-bowler struck early for Canada, removing opener Morris Ouma off the second ball of the innings and his partner Waters in the fifth over.
The paceman then sent back David Obuya to grab his third wicket before Harvir Baidwan brought an end to a promising knock by Collins Obuya (31). Kamande sought to rebuild the innings with Mishra, putting on 52 runs for the sixth wicket but leg-spinner Balaji Rao had him caught behind for 22.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 8th, 2011.