Music: {allcanada} CANADA BEATS KENYA FOR SECOND EVER WIN AT WORLD CUP

Monday, March 7, 2011

{allcanada} CANADA BEATS KENYA FOR SECOND EVER WIN AT WORLD CUP

NEW DELHI -- Captain Ashish Bagai and Jimmy Hansra both made half-centuries to set up Canada's second career World Cup win as it beat Kenya by five wickets on Monday.

After Kenya went to bat first, Canadian pace bowler Hendry Osinde took three wickets for just seven runs in four overs.

Kenya was reeling at 57-5 before steadying its innings and finishing at 198 all out.

Canada also had an unsteady start at the crease but Bagai (64 not out) and Hansra (70) lifted Canada from 48-3 with a 132-run partnership in the battle of Group A's bottom teams at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium.

Canada improved to 1-3 -- and 2-14 all-time at the competition. Its only other win was in 2003 over Bangladesh.

Osinde finished with a career-best 4-26.

"It was part of the goal coming in (to beat Kenya)," Bagai said. "We're living in the present. Henry bowled fantastic first up, got us the advantage, and then we pulled it back ... and two guys batted well to get us over the line.

"Hoping we can use this to spark us for the next two games."

The Canadians could have their hands full against New Zealand on Sunday and Australia on March 16.

Kenya, the 2003 semifinalist, slumped to a fourth successive loss at this tournament.

Tamnay Mishra had earlier made 51 and anchored consecutive half-century partnerships with captain Jimmy Kamande and Thomas Odoyo, who also made 51, as Kenya avoided an embarrassing collapse.

However, the Africans' highest total at the tournament so far was still not enough.

Kenya also made early inroads into Canada's top order, removing Rizwan Cheema in a dramatic fourth over when he sent Elijah Otieno for a six and then a four before being bowled for a quickfire 17 from 13 balls.

Zubin Surkari and Ravindu Gunasekera then fell in the space of eight balls as the chase stuttered.

But Bagai and Hansra played with composure to put Canada back in control and once set, launched a flurry of boundaries toward the end.

Hansra had struck seven fours and two sixes when he was finally out with Canada 19 runs short of victory. He had been dropped off a simple chance when on zero by Seren Waters and made the Kenyans pay with his first career ODI half-century.

Bagai saw his team home, sending a cut over the infield and to the boundary for the match-winning four. It sealed Canada's first win at the World Cup in eight years, and sent Kenya to its most painful defeat so far.

"I won't hide it. Today is the most disappointing performance we've had at the tournament," Kenya captain Jimmy Kamande said. "We could have done much better against Canada. It's very, very hurtful now.

"Although we had 198, we still believed we could defend that. One crucial catch was dropped and the guy capitalized on that. I won't blame anyone."

Kenya had averted another batting disaster to grind out its highest score so far -- even though its batsmen still weren't convincing.

Morris Ouma, Waters and David Obuya fell cheaply as Osinde opened with pace and aggression for the Canadians. Kenya slumped to 21-3 and then 57-5 having chosen to bat first.

But Mishra hit three fours in a battling maiden World Cup half-century -- where 33 of his 51 runs were singles -- and Odoyo blasted five fours and a six to drag the Kenyans to a respectable total.

Kamande also hit three fours in his 22, including a scorching pull shot off Osinde, and the Kenyans fought back desperately having been bowled out for 69, 112 and 142 in three forgettable performances so far at this World Cup.

Kamande fell to leg-spinner Balaji Rao when he nicked behind trying a cut shot but the veteran Odoyo picked up where the skipper left off, hitting a cover drive and then a lofted four to wide long-on in successive overs to drag his team toward respectability.

Recalled after injury, Odoyo also sent a high six straight down the ground as Kenya collected valuable runs at the end.

Mishra was caught off a misdirected drive two balls after reaching his half-century, but Odoyo battled on until he was finally beaten by a yorker from Harvir Baidwan (2-41) and bowled off the very last delivery of the innings.

He'd reached his eighth ODI half-century in his 132nd match two balls before.