Kenya Rout Ghana to Keep World Cup Hopes Alive

By Richard Mwangi

Left-arm off break bowler, Yaksh Patel put up a brilliant performance as Kenya beat Ghana by 107 runs in an ICC Africa under-19 World Cup qualifiers match on Wednesday at the Nairobi Jaffreys ground.

The 17-year-old claimed three wickets for 17 runs conceded in 10 overs that included four maidens. His victims were Ghana's skipper Rexford Bakum, who he clean bowled for 19. He trapped Caniel Anefie for a duck and had Alex Osie caught by Abhishekh Chidambaran for three.

Batting first, Kenya set a target 222 for the loss of nine wickets in their allotted 50 overs. Thomas Ochieng (42 off 49 balls with four boundaries and a six) top scored for Kenya.

Aman Gandhi (30 off 38 balls with five fours); Sachin Bhudia (26 off 24 balls with three fours) and Ankit Hiran (24 off 27 balls with a four and a six) also did well with the bat. Kenya's victory came through a joint effort as it was only Gerald Mwendwa with unbeaten three runs and Patel who was naught not out, who did not post double digit figures on the score board.

Ghana's wicket takers were David Pereira (2/24), Joseph Adotei (2/47) and Joseph Aboagye (2/40) as they were routed for a paltry 114 with 84 balls in hand.

Theodore Joseph, who top scored for Ghana (40 off 75 balls with two fours and same number of sixes), accelerated his team's run rate with his eighth wicket partnership of 72 runs that he shared with Joseph Aboagye who was unbeaten on 19. Sukhdeep Singh (2/17 and Chidambaran (2/40) were the other Kenyan wicket takers.

"We got the start we wanted. Batting and bowling partnerships went as planned," Kenya coach Jimmy Kamande said.

At Nairobi Gymkhana, Uganda (330 for 7 in 50 overs) beat Botswana (83 all out in 25.3 overs) by 247 runs.

The four teams are fighting it out for the single place reserved for the continent in next year's Under-19 World Cup set for Hamburg, Germany from January 13 to February 3.

Thursday is rest day, action resumes Friday with Kenya facing Botswana at Nairobi Jaffreys and Uganda meeting Ghana at Nairobi Gymkhana.

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