Odoyo and Kamande give Kenya narrow advantage

Match nicely poised after two days in Nairobi
An unbroken stand of 49 for the sixth wicket between Thomas Odoyo and Jimmy Kamande means that Kenya just has its nose in front after a hard-fought second day of its ICC Intercontinental Cup match against Bermuda in Nairobi.

With all-rounder Odoyo, the ICC Associate ODI Player of the Year, unbeaten on 58 and Kamande an active partner on 30, the duo carried the home side to 242-5 by the close of play, still trailing by 39 after Bermuda was dismissed for 281.

But with the visitor’s left-arm spinner Dwayne Leverock (3-88 from 30 overs) showing he can be effective in the conditions and Kenya facing the prospect of batting last if the match goes the distance, the contest remains fascinatingly poised.

Kenya took the early honours after Bermuda resumed at 232-6. The overnight duo of David Hemp and Leverock could add only two runs in the first seven overs of the day before Hemp fell for 97, caught by Hiren Varaiya off the bowling of Peter Ongondo (2-36).

Left-arm spinner Varaiya finished as Kenya’s most successful bowler with 5-56, mopping up the tail, but after losing its last recognised batsman Hemp so early in the day Bermuda could still be reasonably content to have added 47 for the last three wickets as Leverock (16), Malachi Jones (12 not out) and Kevin Hurdle (15) all reached double figures.

Although Kenya’s start was much more solid than Bermuda’s on day one – Maurice Ouma (26) and David Obuya (53) added 45 for the first wicket and the home side stood at 89-1 at one stage – both openers, as well as Collins Obuya (53) were guilty of failing to go on and make a substantial contribution.

Part of the reason for that failure was the steadiness of Leverock who dismissed the two openers and Tony Suji (5), while 18 year-old off-spinner Tamauri Tucker (1-10) removed Collins Obuya for his maiden first-class wicket and Hurdle (1-64) bowled the home side’s captain Steve Tikolo (6).

Collins Obuya – playing as a specialist batsman, his leg-spin not yet seen – and Odoyo put together the highest partnership of the innings so far, adding 89 in 29 overs for the fifth wicket after the home side lost 3-15 at one stage.

Odoyo’s patient innings has so far seen him face 123 balls and hit seven fours while Kamande, who hit two fours in the final over of the day from Jones, has received 56 deliveries.