Kiwi bowlers rout Kenya

The New Zealand Black Caps proceeded to rout associate nation Kenya in the second game of the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup. Kenya struggled to 73, the second lowest total in international Twenty20 history as their amateur batsmen were blown away by the pace and swing of the New Zealand fast bowlers.

The game looked as though it would be a mismatch right from the start of the Kenyan innings as Shane Bond blew away Maurice Ouma with only his second delivery. The rest of the top order didn’t fare too well against the Bond and fellow fast bowler Mark Gillespie as the two Kiwis tore through the batting lineup, at one stage reducing Kenya to 4/1 as Bond and Gillespie claimed two wickets a piece during their opening spells.

There were brief cameos from Collins Obuya and Thomas Odoyo, who both scored 18, but their partnership was short lived as Daniel Vettori bowled with excellent variation and control, mixing up his flight and pace to come away with figures of 2/18 from his four overs. Chris Martin provided firepower during the middle overs and took two crucial wickets from miscued shots. Mark Gillespie returned late in the innings and hit the wickets twice in three balls to put Kenya out of their misery as they were all out for 73.

In response New Zealand got off to a shaky start, Lou Vincent looking uncertain as he took strike for the first two overs and survived a couple of LBW appeals. He soon shook off his rustiness and showed some of the form that makes him such a devastating player at the top of the order, launching a big six over midwicket before tamely hitting a checked drive straight to David Obuya at mid-off as Thomas Odoyo was rewarded for his bowling efforts.

Peter Fulton entered the fray, batting at #3 in place of Jacob Oram, and took a couple of overs to get his eye in before finishing the game with a four and consecutive sixes off the bowling of Rajesh Bhudia. McCullum ended on 16* from 13 balls while Fulton’s unbeaten 21 came from just 15 deliveries.

Kenya 73
Collins Obuya 18, Thomas Odoyo 18
Mark Gillespie 4/7, Shane Bond 2/12, Chris Martin 2/14, Daniel Vettori 2/18

New Zealand 74/1
Lou Vincent 27, Peter Fulton 21*

Cricket Web Man of the Match: Mark Gillespie