Kenya skipper Tikolo inspires narrow win over Dutch by AFP

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Scorecard:	Kenya v Netherlands
Event:	ICC World Cup 2006/07

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DateLine: 9th March 2007

 

Kenya captain Steve Tikolo stole the show with an impressive all-round display which gave his side a nine-run victory over the Netherlands in a World Cup warm-up match here Thursday.

 

First, Tikolo revived his side's innings with a vital half-century that lifted them to 274 for five from their allocation of 50 overs.

 

The 35-year-old Tikolo then returned to claim five wickets for 48 runs from 10 overs and trigger a collapse with his clever off-spin that restricted the Netherlands to 265 for nine in their 50 overs.

 

The Netherlands were within reach of victory, when they cruised to 215 for three in the 44th over, but things fell apart, and they lost six wickets for 49 runs in the space of 36 balls.

 

Darron Reekers hit seven boundaries in the top score of 75 from 105 balls and Bas Zuiderent made 65 off 91 balls which included five fours and one six.

 

They had set things up for the Netherlands with an opening stand of 142, but Tikolo got the breakthrough, when he had Reekers caught at backward point in the 30th over.

 

The Netherlands wobbled to 169 for three, when two wickets fell in the space of six balls.

 

Zuiderent was caught at deep mid-wicket off Peter Ongondo in the 34th over, and Alex Kervezee was run out for a duck, when he failed to beat Collins Obuya's direct hit at the bowler's end.

 

Ryan ten Doeschate revived the Dutch side's chances with 50 off 46 balls which included two fours and one six.

 

He put on 46 for the fourth wicket with Daan van Bunge, and the Netherlands seemed to be back on track only to throw it all away with some ill-advised strokes.

 

Kenya dipped to 21 for three inside the first five overs, after Reekers and Mark Jonkman put them under early pressure with accurate swing bowling on a helpful Trelawny Stadium pitch.

 

Tikolo entered and started to repair the early damage with Tony Suji.

 

The pair added 104 for the fourth wicket and played some handsome strokes, both sides of the wicket.

 

Three wickets, all to van Bunge, in the space of 30 balls set Kenya back on 141 for six.

 

Thomas Odoyo, whose 73 from 49 balls was the top score, added a crucial 62 for the seventh wicket with Collins Obuya, who was caught at mid-on off Peter Borren for 33.

 

Odoyo then took the attack to the Netherlands bowlers, and collected three fours and four sixes in a late flurry to beef-up the total of the African side before he was dismissed off the last ball of the innings, caught at mid-on off Dutch captain Luuk van Troost.

 

Van Bunge was the Netherlands' most successful bowler with three for 41 from 10 overs, and Jonkman took two for 26 from 5.1 overs.

 

Brief scores:

 

Kenya 274-7 off 50 overs (Odoyo 73, Tikolo 51; Daan van Bunge 3-41)

 

Netherlands 265-9 off 50 overs (Reekers 75, Zuiderent 65, ten Doeschate 50; S. Tikolo 5-48).

(Article: Copyright © 2007 AFP)