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Kenya v Canada, 2nd ODI, Nairobi

Classy Obanda seals series for Kenya

Cricinfo staff

October 20, 2007

Kenya 193 for 6 (Obanda 85, Obuya 44) beat Canada 189 (Bastiampillai 49, Tikolo 4-41) by four wickets
Scorecard

A fine 85 from Alex Obanda, playing in only his second one-dayer, led Kenya to a thumping win over Canada in the second and final ODI at Nairobi. Chasing a modest 190, Kenya rollicked to victory with more than six overs to spare.

It was not all plain sailing though. In cool conditions and under cloudy skies, Kenya's top-order struggled with the early loss of Maurice Ouma and Nehemiah Odhiambo. David Obuya (34 from 51) helped put on 41 with Obanda, crunching five fours, before he fell attempting his sixth slog and was caught at deep midwicket off Qaiser Ali.

All the while, Obanda showed a calmness belying his years - he turns 20 in December - and stroked 15 fours in his 103-ball 85. He was particularly savage through his favoured cover region but also slogged the spinners over midwicket and hit cleanly over the top. It was his maiden ODI fifty and he looked set to register a hundred before he propped forward to Jason Patraj and was stumped. Collins Obuya was on hand to see Kenya home with a powerful 44.

The ease with which Kenya's batsman reached their target owed much to the discipline of their bowlers. Thomas Odoyo and Peter Ongondo bowled tidy opening spells, but it was the introduction of the spinners - Odhiambo and Steve Tikolo - which unsettled Canada's top-order. Mohammad Iqbal was stumped for 30, Ashif Mulla trapped in front for 1 before Sunil Dhaniram was neatly held by Tony Suji at mid-on. Trevin Bastiampillai anchored innings with a defiant 49 - with seven fours and huge a six over long-on - but his was a lone cause.

Canada's final match of their tour, the second Intercontinental Cup match against Namibia in Windhoek, gets underway on Thursday.

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