BANGALORE, India, CMC – Title-holders Australia were far from clinical but did enough to knock over minnows Kenya by 60 runs and book a berth in the quarter-finals of the World Cup here yesterday.
Opting to bat first at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Australia posted a more than challenging 324 for six off their 50 overs, with Michael Clarke missing out on a century with 93.
However, the anticipated rout never materialized as Collins Obuya stroked an unbeaten 98 and Tanmay Mishra hammered 72, to lead the Africans to 264 for six and slightly embarrass the Aussie attack.
While Kenya remained bottom of Group A without a single point, Australia cruised to seven points to remain unbeaten.
Any thoughts they had of a quick annihilation were quickly erased when Brad Haddin (65) and Shane Watson toiled over adding 38 from 44 balls for the first wicket.
When Watson departed, Haddin put together 89 from 104 balls for the second wicket with captain Ricky Ponting whose 36 required 54 balls.
With Australia hardly rollicking along, Clarke’s intervention was needed and he cracked seven fours and a six in his knock that came from 80 balls.
He and Mike Hussey, who stroked a cameo 54 from 43 balls, carved out 114 from 97 balls for the fifth wicket as Australia finally found their rhythm.
A capitulation appeared on the cards when Kenya were reduced to 46 for three in the 10th over but Collins Obuya and Mishra frustrated the Australians with a 115-run, fourth wicket stand.
Obuya hit nine fours and three sixes off 129 balls while Mishra faced 89 balls and hammered eight fours and a six. When Mishra was run out in the 36th over by Clarke’s direct hit, Australia ran into yet another roadblock as Obuya and Thomas Odoyo (35) raised another 86 for the fifth wicket to ensure there was no embarrassment for Kenya.
SCOREBOARD
AUSTRALIA
S Watson c wkp 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 (b2, lb5, w16, nb1) 24
TOTAL (6 wkts, 50 overs) 324
Fall of wickets: 1-38 (Watson, 7.2 overs), 2-127 (Haddin, 24.4), 3-131 (Ponting, 25.4), 4-143 (White, 27), 5-257 (Hussey, 43.1), 6-304 (Clarke, 48.1)
Did not bat: B Lee, J Krejza, S Tait.
Bowling: Odoyo 10-0-50-0, Otieno 8-0-75-0, Odhiambo 10-1-57-3, Ngoche 8-0-56-0, Kamande 10-0-46-2, C Obuya 4-0-33-1.
KENYA
+M Ouma c wkp 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 (b2, lb6, w12, nb3) 23
TOTAL (6 wkts, 50 overs) 264
Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Ouma, 2.5 overs), 2-21 (Obanda, 4), 3-46 (DO Obuya, 9.4), 4-161 (Mishra, 35.3), 5-247 (Odoyo, 47.3), 6-263 (Patel, 49.4)
Did not bat: N Odhiambo, E Otieno, J Ngoche.
Bowling: Lee 8-1-26-1, Tait 8-0-49-2, Johnson 8-1-40-0, Smith 6-0-36-0, Krejza 8-0-36-0, Clarke 5-0-21-0, Watson 7-0-48-0.
Result: Australia won by 60 runs.
Points: Australia 2, Kenya 0.
Man-of-the-Match: Collins Obuya.
Toss: Australia.
Umpires: Asad Rauf, R Kettleborough; TV – B Bowden.
