Kenya v Bermuda, ICC Intercontinental Cup, Nairobi, 3rd day
Varaiya's ten puts Kenya on the brink
Cricinfo staff
November 3, 2007
Kenya 302 and 79 for 0 (Ouma 49*, Obuya 29*) require a further 79 runs to beat Bermuda 281 (Hemp 97, Varaiya 5-56) and 178 (Hemp 68*, Varaiya 5-77) Scorecard
Hiren Varaiya put Kenya on the way to victory over Bermuda with his second five-wicket haul of the match, becoming one of the few Kenya bowlers to take ten in a game, at the Nairobi Gymkhana on Saturday. Set 158 to win with more than a day in hand, Kenya raced to 79 without loss in just 16 overs, Maurice Ouma cracking 49 from just 43 balls.
For the second time in the match, Bermuda's hopes rested on David Hemp's shoulders but his unbeaten 68 was a lone effort. Peter Ongondo removed both Bermuda openers in a six-over spell in which he conceded nine runs, and it wasn't long before the spinners, Varaiya and Jimmy Kamande, were drafted in. Varaiya struck in his second over, bowling Rodney Trott through the gate before producing a quicker ball that trapped Irving Romaine in front for 17.
Bermuda were 60 for 5 and struggling to cope with the spinners' excellent changes of pace, but all the while Hemp - who top-scored with 97 in the first innings - was resolute, waiting for the bad balls and cutting hard through point. An excellent reflex catch by Steve Tikolo at slip to dismiss Malachi Jones handed Varaiya his third wicket and left Bermuda at 83 for 7, prompting Hemp and Kevin Hurdle to open their shoulders in a last-ditch attempt to set Kenya a challenging total.
Hurdle was immediately into his stride, cracking Kamande over long-off for six before lifting Varaiya over long-on for two more, but Varaiya trapped him in front with a quicker one to end the resistance. Varaiya's dismissal of Tucker, which gave him ten in the match, left Hemp stranded on 68 and Kenya requiring 158 to win.
Ouma set off like a rocket. One over from Hurdle saw him hit for two straight sixes and a couple of bludgeoned fours, denting what little hope Bermuda had of making early inroads. Kenya's fifty was brought up in the sixth over, and at stumps the hosts were exactly halfway to their target of 158.
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