Australia enter quarter-final
Holders Australia claimed their place in the last eight of the World
Cup on Sunday but they were made to work surprisingly hard by Kenya who
restored pride with a defiant performance despite losing by 60 runs.
Michael Clarke (93) and the returning Mike Hussey (54) bailed their team
out of trouble to help set up a daunting 324-6 but Kenya defied the
much-vaunted Australian fast bowling unit to score a respectable 264-6
in Group A.
Earlier, opener Brad Haddin had made 65 but Australia found
themselves under unexpected pressure at one stage at 143-4.
After four straight losses, Kenya had clearly decided not to go down
without a fight and Tanmay Mishra (72) along with Collins Obuya (98 not
out) resisted with a stubborn stand of 115 for the fourth wicket.
The pace trio of Brett Lee, Shaun Tait and Mitchell Johnson regularly
generated speeds in excess of 140 kmph but the Kenyan batsmen gave as
good as they got and notched up their highest score in the tournament so
far.
Three of the six Kenyan wickets to fall were by run-outs as the
Australian fast bowlers and spinners almost ran out of ideas to dismiss
a batting side which was skittled out in their previous four matches.
It had seemed as if the match was headed for a fast finish as Kenya
slumped to 46-3 in the 10th over. But as the pitch lost its pace, Mishra
took on the role of the aggressor and clobbered eight boundaries and one
huge six. Obuya, however, was more restrained at the start of his
innings but accelerated towards the end and singled out Shane Watson for
some especially harsh treatment. Thomas Odoyo joined the African party
with a 38-ball 35 at the end but the Kenyans always were well behind the
asking run-rate and their valiant attempt fell short.
Earlier, Clarke (93 off 80 balls) paced his innings to perfection to
avoid a middle-order collapse after Australia lost three quick wickets
in the space of 15 balls at the end of the 27th over.
Clarke and Hussey (54 in 43 balls), who celebrated his return to the
World Cup squad with a typically industrious innings, came together with
Australia in a spot of bother and with a 300 plus score looking a long
way off. They immediately put the Kenyan fielders under pressure with
singles and twos and the odd boundary to wrest the initiative. Reuters
AUSTRALIA
innings
S. Watson c Ouma b Odhiambo 21
B. Haddin c Patel b Kamande 65
R. Ponting lbw b C. Obuya 36
M. Clarke c Patel b Odhiambo 93
C. White b Kamande 2
M. Hussey c D. Obuya b Odhiambo 54
S. Smith not out 17
M. Johnson not out 12
Extras (b 2 lb 5 w 16 nb 1) 24
Total (for six wickets; 50 overs) 324
Fall of wickets: 1-38 2-127 3-131 4-143 5-257 6-304
Bowling: Odoyo 10-0-50-0 (1w), Otieno 8-0-75-0, Odhiambo 10-1-57-3 (2w), Ngoche 8-0-56-0 (1w),
Kamande 10-0-46-2 (2w), C.Obuya 4-0-33-1 (1nb, 1w)
KENYA
innings
M. Ouma c Haddin b Lee 4
A. Obanda b Tait 14
C. Obuya not out 98
D. Obuya run out 12
T. Mishra run out 72
T. Odoyo b Tait 35
R. Patel run out 6
J. Kamande not out 0
Extras (b 2 lb 6 w 12 nb 3) 23
Total (for six wickets; 50 overs) 264
Fall of wickets: 1-12 2-21 3-46 4-161 5-247 6-263
Bowling: Lee 8-1-26-1, Tait 8-0-49-2 (2nb, 5w), M. Johnson 8-1-40-0 (2w), Smith 6-0-36-0, Krejza 8-0-36-0, Clarke 5-0-21-0, Watson 7-0-48-0 (1w) |