Sport | Cricket
Ongondo bowls Kenya to 81-run victory
Peter Ongondo gave himself an early birthday present through a deadly five-wicket spell and bowl Kenya to an 81-run win over UAE in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Intercontinental Cup at the Sharjah cricket stadium on Thursday.
- By K.R. Nayar, Staff Reporter
- Published: 01:04 February 8, 2008
- Image Credit: Ahmed Ramzan/Gulf News
- Nigel Fernandes of the UAE in action during the match against Kenya at the Sharjah cricket stadium.
Sharjah: Peter Ongondo gave himself an early birthday present through a deadly five-wicket spell and bowl Kenya to an 81-run win over UAE in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Intercontinental Cup at the Sharjah cricket stadium on Thursday.
Ongondo, who will turn 31 on Sunday, returned with figures of 5 for 30 from his 12 overs.
UAE began the final day chasing a target of 256 to win with nine wickets in hand, but they were bowled out for 192 in 55.3 overs.
Ongondo began his deadly spell dismissing night-watchman Ahmad Raza for 6 and then went on to trap UAE skipper Saqib Ali leg before for 26.
He dismissed the inform Khurram Khan and Azhar Gul for duck. On Wednesday evening, he had trapped UAE's prolific scorer Arshad Ali leg-before for 5.
At one stage UAE were 75 for 7 and were facing a huge defeat. Despite the tight bowling, UAE's Nigel Fernandes went on to hit an elegant 63 with eight hits to the boundary.
Young Shoaib Sarwar too rose to the challenge and hit 61 off 87 balls with five boundaries and two sixes.
Fernandes and Sarwar put on 109 runs for the eighth wicket. Odoyo provided the breakthrough by taking Sarwar's wicket while Elijah Otieno clean bowled Fernandes.
UAE batsmen could have reached the target had some of their batsmen applied themselves. Kenya by the virtue of this win has regained the top position in the points table with 66 points.
Scores
Kenya first innings: 326
UAE first innings: 224
Kenya second innings: 171
UAE second innings 192 in 55.3 overs (Nigel Fernandes 63, Saqib Ali 26, Shoaib Sarwar 61, Peter Ongondo 5 for 35, Thomas Odoyo 2 for 41, Elijah Otieno 2 for 36).
Man of the match: Thomas Odoyo.
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