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Hat-trick Lee Hurts Kenya

Saturday, March 15 2003

Brett Lee emphatically put his name in the record books, with a memorable hat-trick against Kenya, in the final super six match at Durban. Lee has become the third Australian to join the illustrious group of bowlers, along side Bruce Reid and Anthony Stuart. The hat-trick has come amidst Australia’s super six triumph over Kenya, by five wickets.

Australian captain Ricky Ponting won the toss, and elected to bowl on what seemed to be a batsman’s paradise, with the threat of evening rain looming in the air. Australia made just the one change, with Andrew Symonds back in the side for Michael Bevan who was rested with a back complaint.

Kennedy Otieno and Ravindu Shah strode to the crease, and started tentatively against the line and length of Glenn McGrath, and the terrifying pace of Brett Lee. It was Lee who made the opening in-roads, when he got a ball to bounce on Otieno, which hit the point of his left elbow and cannoned back to hit the stumps. The batsman was in immediate pain, and was left to hide the humility of being out and injured from the same ball.

Lee’s next ball was on the money again, and had Brijal Patel edging a smart catch to Ponting at second slip. There have been many a bowler to have two in two balls, but only 2 Australian’s have made it three from three in one day internationals. David Obuya was the man to face the music, and he had no reply to brilliant yorker, that snuck underneath his bat, to flick the off bail. It would have bowled the best batsman in the world, and the celebration was unconfined. Lee stormed around the ground in jubilation, with the Kenyan’s possibly dead and buried.

The true spirit of Kenya in this World Cup came out of its shell, in the form of captain Steve Tikolo and Ravindu Shah. The two combined beautifully to bolster a remarkable fight back. Shah was the man to be dismissed, skying a sweep shot, to replacement Nathan Hauritz off Brad Hogg for 46. Kenya fought back to 4-82, when it looked to be all out for that score.

The revival was spurred on by Tikolo and Hitesh Modi who combined for a partnership of 49 before Tikolo attempted to hit Darren Lehmann for six, but only gave Andy Bichel an easy catch at long off.

From here, it was downhill for the Kenyan’s. A collapse of 3-13, before Martin Suji came the goods with a gutsy 15 not out. The 50 overs were batted out, where it seemed like that was nothing short of a miracle when Brett Lee was on fire. Hitesh Modi remained not out with a courageous 39, to leave his side at 8-174, leaving Australia the target of 175 for victory.

McGrath finished off with the tidy figures 0-32 off 10, Bichel 2-42 off 9, Hogg 1-31 off 10, Harvey 0-23 off 7, and Lehmann 2-22 off 6. Brett Lee was brilliant up front, and finished off with the satisfying figures of 3-14 off 8, including 3 maidens.

Gilchrist and Hayden came out like men possessed, stamping a cruel authority over the weaker oppisition. But Ongondo made the breakthrough, when Hayden hit a pull shot straight to the man at mid-wicket, for a rapid 20 off 14 balls.

Gilchrist has yet to reach peak form with the bat this World Cup, but he showed his wizardry with some astounding stroke-play. The leg-spinner, Collins Obuya, was taken to the cleaners in his opening over, with Gilchrist hitting one six that landed on the roof at mid-wicket, and another that sailed high and long out of the ground.

Gilchrist was undone next over, when he gave a thick edge to the wicket keeper off Ongondo, for a sparkling 67 off 43 deliveries. It appeared to be smooth sailing for the defending champions, but an extraordinary turn of events saw the emergence of the unlikely hero; Asif Karim. The left arm spinner had Australia in all sorts of trouble with his varying flight and fast spin. He had Ponting plumb lbw, Lehmann caught behind, and Hogg caught and bowled. Amazing bowling, that kept Kenya in the match.

Andrew Symonds and Ian Harvey played very watchfully, knowing that time was not an issue. The two put a stand of over 50 to get their side home comfortably by five wickets, with scores of 33 and 28 respectively. But the man of the moment was Asif Karim, who finished off with the amazing figures of 8.2–6–7–3, and a thoroughly deserved man of the match performance. He made Brett Lee look rusty and expensive!!

With all super six matches completed, the semi-finals have been decided. Australia will play Sri Lanka at Port Elizabeth on Tuesday, and India will play Kenya in Durban on Thursday.

KENYA
8-174(50) – (S.Tikolo 51, R. Shah 46; B.Lee 3-14, Lehmann 2-22)

AUSTRALIA
5-178(31.2) – (A.Gilchrist 67, A. Symonds 33*; A. Karim
3-7, P.Ongondo 2-44)


Posted by Dominic