Tikolo leads Kenya to win

So many times it has been said that Steve Tikolo is the best batsman is the best batsman outside the Test arena, and he proved that yet again today.

Chasing 200, he scored a composed 72 to lead his team home by seven wickets in an impressive performance over the Canadians. He drove powerfully through the offside, clipped confidently through the on side and unveiled a couple of majestic lofted shots down the ground.

Also starring in the chase was wicket keeper batsman Maurice Ouma. Opening the batting, he scored 58 working the ball around well, before departing to an ugly heave. As well as Kenya’s superior batting; Canada’s bowlers did themselves no favours. They sent down 18 wides during the Kenyan innings, struggling to control the white ball sufficiently.

When they did manage to get it in the right areas though, they could cause the Kenyans some trouble. Anderson Cummins in particular found some swing early on, enough to remove David Obuya for 4. Left-armer Umar Bhatti also found some movement, and trapped Ravindu Shah lbw for 6.

There were to be no more breakthroughs for Canada, save Ouma. John Davison introduced his spinners, a tactic which worked well for Tikolo, but they were milked easily by Tikolo and his young batting partner Tanmay Mishra, who added 35 to take them to the finish.

Before his turn with the bat, Tikolo had played an equally important role in the field, to restrict Canada to a score of 199. Canada had made a decent start, led by 41 from Geoff Barnett, who has played for Central Districts in New Zealand. They advanced to 102-2; coping with Kenya’s opening medium-pacers well.

Sensing things weren’t working so well, Tikolo turned to his slower bowlers. Tikolo himself, Hiren Varaiya and Jimmy Kamande bowled 29 overs between them, taking five wickets at a cost of 78. They strangled the Canadians, preventing them from scoring, especially as Tikolo brought the field up. The dangerous Bagai and Davison were accounted for, as players struggled to get in.

The score was boosted by some late innings fireworks from 38 year-old Sunil Dhaniram, with 34 from 35 balls. 199 was never likely to be enough though, not with a talented batting line-up led by Tikolo, standing head and shoulders above the rest.

Canada 199 all out
Geoff Barnett 41, Sunil Dhaniram 34*, Ian Billcliff 34
Jimmy Kamande 2-25, Steve Tikolo 2-34

Kenya 203-3
Steve Tikolo 72*, Maurice Ouma 58, Tanmay Mishra 35*
Anderson Cummins 1-32, Sunil Dhaniram 1-34, Umar Bhatti 1-44

Kenya win by seven wickets

Cricket Web Man of the Match: Steve Tikolo