Match Thread: Kenya in Zimbabwe 2009

[Zeeshan]

Reconaissance is the most important part of understanding your opponent. Latest score in the second ODI:

Zim 41 in 10 overs

*Mark Vermeulen (rhb) 6 19 0 0 31.57 striker
Hamilton Masakadza (rhb) 35 41 6 1 85.36 non-striker

http://www.cricinfo.com/zimvkenya200...ch/424851.html

[Yameen]

Originally Posted by ZeeshanM
Reconaissance is the most important part of knowing your opponent. Latest score in the second ODI:

Zim 41/10

41 all out ? I thought this was a good batting surface

But nah looks like Zimbabwe going to pile on the runs again with Masakadza in fine form just coming off his 150+ in the first game..

Hope Kenyans can restrict them to around 250ish in this game to stand a chance..

[Zeeshan]

Bulletin from 1st ODI:

Masakadza ton sets up huge victory

Cricinfo staff
October 12, 2009

Hamilton Masakadza's career-best 156 set up Zimbabwe for a handsome 91-run victory in the first one-day international against Kenya. His mammoth effort helped the home side to an imposing 313 for 4 and the visitors never threatened to get close as Kyle Jarvis impressed on his debut.

Masakadza easily surpassed his previous best of 102 and gave the innings a tremendous late kick alongside Brendan Taylor as the pair added 97 in eight overs. Masakadza cleared the boundary six times in his 151-ball effort along with 11 fours as Kenya's attack was made to look thin.

To have any chance in the run-chase, Kenya needed a solid base, but lost wickets too regularly to form the sort of platform Zimbabwe enjoyed after Masakadza and Mark Vermeulen opened with a stand of 121 in 25 overs. Jarvis, the son of former Zimbabwe bowler Malcolm Jarvis who played five Tests and 12 ODIs in the 1990s, removed both openers and later returned to claim a third scalp.

Steve Tikolo top-scored with 49 but it was always in a losing cause as Zimbabwe's three frontline spinners throttled the scoring. The 30 overs between Ray Price, Prosper Utseya and Graeme Cremer cost 107 runs and brought five wickets. Utseya collected three wickets against a middle order that had no choice but to attack, while legspinner Cremer impressed with his control.

Zimbabwe's performance was dominant from start to finish. After deciding to bat, they were quickly out of the blocks as the openers made good use of the fielding restrictions. It took until the 26th over for Kenya to make a breakthrough when Vermeulen was trapped lbw by Nehemiah Odhiambo.

For a while the visitors managed to hold back the scoring rate - Jimmy Kamande performing a decent holding role - but Masakadza continued to progress with few alarms. Kamande chipped in with the wicket of Charles Coventry, who hit an ODI record-equalling 194 in the previous series against Bangladesh, before Odhiambo claimed his second by removing Elton Chigumbura.

However, Masakadza was motoring by now and the scoring rate increased again during the closing overs. Taylor helped add impetus with 44 from 27 balls as he collected two sixes alongside the six struck by Masakadza, who was run out in the penultimate over.

It was hard toil for the Kenyan bowlers, none more so than Lameck Onyango, who conceded 91 from his 10 overs, the most expensive figures by a Kenya bowler in one-day internationals. On this evidence, they will do well to avoid the whitewash they suffered during the home series earlier this year.

Utseya praised the opening partnership of 121 between Masakadza and Vermeulen and was delighted with drawing first blood in the five-match series. "It was important to have a good start because playing catch-up in the series is not good," Utseya said. "Winning the first match eases pressure. Credit must go to Hami and Mark because it had been long since we had a good opening partnership."

However, he believed there were still room for improvement in the bowling department. "There are still four more ODIs to be played," Utseya said. "In cricket these days, every team attacks the bowlers in the first ten overs. It is however pleasing that they managed to take all wickets."

Kenyan captain Maurice Ouma onn the other hand, was disappointed with the team's effort on the field. "It's not the kind of start we would have wanted. But if you bowl like what we did today it will be hard for use to win matches in this series. My bowlers were not hitting the right lengths and spots, and they were punished. I'm sure they have learned their lesson and they are going to bounce back in tomorrow's match."

http://www.cricinfo.com/zimvkenya200...ry/429290.html

[Zeeshan]

Originally Posted by Yameen
41 all out ? I thought this was a good batting surface

Pardon my ebullience. I meant in 10 overs. Fixed right now!

[Zeeshan]

50 up in 12 overs. Rooting for Kenya. Demoralized adversary will ease the pressure on our boys.

[Zeeshan]

50 up for Masakadza

Zimbabwe 94/1 (18.5 ov) setting themselves up for another huge total.

[Zeeshan]

Coventry bowled by Tikolo.

Zimbabwe 96/2 (19.2 ov)

[Zeeshan]

On Brendan Taylor:

Brendan Taylor, who was fast-tracked into the Zimbabwe national team against Sri Lanka in 2003-04 at the age of 18 after the withdrawal of the so-called rebel players, shot to prominence at Cape Town on September 12, 2007, when his ice-cool 60 not out carried Zimbabwe to an incredible five-wicket win over Australia in the ICC World Twenty20. Taylor was back where he began as an opening batsman, having briefly moved down the order, and he marshalled a tense run-chase with the sort of sang froid that few had ever credited him with. He's always had the ability to build an innings, but developed a penchant for being dismissed while trying to play too aggressively. He was nurtured by Iain Campbell, father of Alistair, at the well-known Lilfordia primary school near Harare, and was a regular choice for national age-group teams and played in two Under-19 World Cups. He made his first-class debut for Mashonaland A at the age of 15; the following year he scored 200 not out in the B Division of the Logan Cup. He appears to be well regarded in Zimbabwe Cricket, so much so that he was picked for the national side despite not signing a new contract at the start of 2006, and despite an earlier suspension for disciplinary reasons. With the departure of Tatenda Taibu, he took over the wicketkeeping gloves in the West Indies; he has kept wicket regularly since primary school. As a batsman he was well respected by the opposition, but tended to get out when well set. Poor footwork was also a handicap at times, but he is working to improve that. His favourite stroke is the full-blooded front-foot cover drive. Steven Price September 2007

http://www.cricinfo.com/zimvkenya200...yer/55814.html

[Zeeshan]

Zimbabwe 109/3 (22.3 ov)

Masakadza is still hanging on....who apparently was a prodigy.

Hamilton Masakadza was still a schoolboy at Churchill High School in Harare when he set the record - since beaten by Mohammad Ashraful - of being the youngest batsman ever to score a century on his Test debut, at 17 years and 254 days. This was against West Indies in 2000-01 when, batting at No. 3 instead of his normal opening position, he scored a composed 119 that was largely responsible for Zimbabwe saving the match after conceding a first-innings lead of 216. Earlier in the year he had not only become the youngest Zimbabwean ever to score a first-class century, but also the first black player to do so...

http://www.cricinfo.com/zimvkenya200...yer/55608.html

[Zeeshan]

Zimbabwe 263/7 (50 ov)
Kenya 177 (44.5 ov)

Zimbabwe won by 86 runs

[Zeeshan]

Match Bulletin:

Cremer creams Kenya
October 13, 2009

Graeme Cremer produced career-best figures with bat and ball as Zimbabwe secured a 2-0 lead with three matches to come in their ODI series against Kenya. Chasing an imposing 264 for victory at the Harare Sports Club, Kenya put up a fight with David Obuya cracking a quickfire 49 at the top of the order, but Cremer strangled their momentum with superb figures of 6 for 46, as Zimbabwe prevailed by 86 runs with 31 balls remaining.

After winning the toss, Prosper Utseya chose to bat first, just as he had done in Monday's first ODI, whereupon Hamilton Masakadza built on his career-best 156 in that fixture, with a coolly compiled 66 from 91 balls.

He added 77 in 15 overs for the first wicket with Mark Vermeulen, who was the first to fall for 32, and though the middle order wobbled to leave Zimbabwe awkwardly placed on 170 for 5 with 12 overs remaining, Stuart Matsikenyeri was on hand to guide the tail, finishing unbeaten on 71 from 70 balls, with two fours and two sixes.

The stand-out performer in the closing overs, however, was Cremer, who built up his confidence ahead of his bowling stint with a quickfire 31 from 19 balls in an unbeaten eighth-wicket stand of 65. His innings included three fours and was only the third time in 16 international innings that he had reached double-figures. The pick of the Kenya attack was the slow left-armer Hiran Varaiya, who claimed 3 for 38 in his ten overs.

In reply, Kenya started with some poise as Obuya and Rakep Patel added 57 for the first wicket. But Utseya struck twice with his offspinners before Cremer crashed through the middle-order. His first victim was Obuya, caught by Elton Chigumbura for 49 from 51 balls, and he chipped away at regular intervals, with two of his wickets coming from the last three balls of his spell.

Spin accounted for all ten of the Kenyan wickets, with Ray Price pinning Nehemiah Odhiambo lbw, second ball for 1, before Utseya returned to deliver the coup de grace, as Peter Ongondo was stumped by Brendan Taylor for 1. The teams reconvene on Thursday for the first of three potential series deciders.

http://www.cricinfo.com/zimvkenya200...ry/429422.html

[nycpro96]

6-46 is pretty impressive

[zimfan]

good performance by the boys so far but im concered about our pace bowling as although jarvis looks promising Chigumbura is not an opening bowler he is a first change bowler, so we need to get another seem bowler in the side but that will mean dropping a spinner. And after Cremers recent performance it cant be him.

[bujhee kom]

Very good match!

[Tigers_eye]

Well now the series is sitting 2-1. Kenya pulled one back. 266/9 in 50 overs. Zim 246 allout in 49.5 overs.

[Murad]

Good job Kenya.
Its like win the toss, bat and win the game. All 3 games won by the chasing teams.

[_Rafi_]

Zimbabwe vs Ireland series would be interesting one. Why not ICC manage a series between them?

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[auntu]

Masakadza is in great form. BD need to watch him or let's hope he ends his quota with the Kenyans.

[One World]

These are some good average boosting encounters.

[al Furqaan]

kenya beats zimbabwe for the first time in a looooong time. good game. will be interesting to see how zimbabwe copes.

[Nocturnal]

4th ODI: Zimbabwe v Kenya at Harare, Oct 17, 2009
Kenya 73/2 (14.3 ov)
Zimbabwe
Kenya won the toss and elected to bat

[Nocturnal]

Kenya innings (50 overs maximum)		R	B	4s	6s	SR
	DO Obuya	not out	33	36	4	0	91.66
	A Obanda	c †Taylor b Price	33	44	3	1	75.00
	11.6 caught †Taylor 64/1
	SO Tikolo	c & b Utseya	5	7	0	0	71.42
	14.3 caught & 73/2
	Extras	(w 2)	2
	Total	(2 wickets; 14.3 overs)	73	(5.03 runs per over)

To bat MA Ouma*†, CO Obuya, JK Kamande, TM Odoyo, N Odhiambo, LN Onyango, HA Varaiya, E Otieno

Fall of wickets1-64 (Obanda, 11.6 ov), 2-73 (Tikolo, 14.3 ov)

	Bowling	O	M	R	W	Econ
	KM Jarvis	5	0	36	0	7.20	(1w)
	RW Price	7	2	23	1	3.28	(1w)
	11.6 to Obanda, caught †Taylor 64/1
	P Utseya	2.3	0	14	1	5.60

[Yameen]

kenya post a decent total of 270/8 with Zim off to a steady start at 13/0 in the 4th over..

I hope Kenya win this so it goes down to the final match decider :p

Don't suppose anyone has a link for this match assuming its being telecast?

[zainab]

Very happy to see that Kenya has found their footing and fighting back, I hate to see any team being hammered badly by another team and this is good for Kenyan cricket.

[Zeeshan]

Kenya 270/8 (50 ov)
Zimbabwe 67/1 (11.5 ov)