Ireland through to third final in a row after epic last match in Nairobi

 

Coach Simmons praises work of spin bowlers and the experience of seamer Johnston

 

After nearly a year and a half of competition, with nine teams playing a total of 28 matches, the ICC Intercontinental Cup 2007-08 came down to the last few thrilling overs on the last day of the last match before we knew who would contest the final.

 

As Ireland pushed for victory on day four today in Nairobi , Kenya did its best to play out for the draw that would take it to South Africa for the final against Namibia . But with just 20 minutes left in the day’s play, left-arm slow bowler Regan West trapped number-11 batsman Peter Ongondo leg before wicket and the Irish celebrations could finally begin.

 

It was a cruel end to what had been a brave rearguard action by the home side. Dismissed for just 186 in the first innings after Ireland ’s mammoth effort of 578-4 declared, Kenya ’s batsmen showed much more resolve the second time around and almost survived the epic 143 overs required that would have given them that all-important draw.

 

In the end, they battled to 327 all out with 18-year-old Seren Waters, on debut, top-scoring with 75. He was well supported by ICC Associate ODI Player of the Year 2007 Thomas Odoyo, who lasted 168 balls for his 61 runs.

 

But the way Ireland dominated the match after being put into bat on day one, it truly deserved this win and when it takes the field in Port Elizabeth against Namibia from 30 October to 3 November, it will be its third successive Intercontinental Cup final and it has the chance to record an unprecedented hat-trick of victories in the competition.

 

It was a nail-biting finish to the group stage of the competition with West, Kyle McCallan and Trent Johnston bowling 100.4 of the 135.4 overs bowled in the second innings. It was a big effort, particularly from West who finished with figures of 3-81 off 42.4. Johnston registered the best figures of the innings with 4-43 from 21 overs, wickets that included the top four Kenya batsmen.

 

After the game a delighted Ireland coach Phil Simmons praised the way his bowlers stuck to their task.

 

“Things are great,” said the 45-year-old former West Indies all-rounder.

 

“We still had it all to do in the second innings because it was a good track and Kenya batted very well the second time around. But our bowlers did really well to keep probing in the right areas and it paid off in the end.

 

“The pitch did take a bit of spin so it was always going to be up to West and McCallan to do the lion’s share of the bowling because they were getting it to turn. And I thought they did really well.”

 

After a period of uncertainty due to work commitments, former captain Trent Johnston made himself available for this tour and his four wickets in the second innings proved vital.

 

“ Trent is a great player for us and has been for a long time,” said Simmons.

 

“His experience really came through today and he showed the younger pace bowlers how you need to adapt as a seamer if you are to be successful on different types of wicket and in different conditions. It is great that he’s back in the team again.”

 

Looking forward to the final, defending champion Ireland , unbeaten in this competition since 2004, must be the clear favourite to take its third title in a row.

 

“I think that’s fair. We have beaten Namibia in Namibia and Kenya in Kenya so that gives us confidence. But the final is a one-off game and anything can happen so we won’t be going to PE thinking we only have to show up to win it. It’s going to be a tough game and we will have to work hard if we are going to take the cup home to Ireland again,” added Simmons.

Final Scorecard

Kenya Vs Ireland

2-Innings Match Played At Gymkhana, Nairobi, 11-Oct-2008, First Class Intercontinental Cup

Ireland Win Outright by an Inns and 65 runs

Round	681
Toss won by	Kenya
Umpires	M Erasmus (South Africa) & RB Tiffin (Zimbabwe)
Comment	681/8 4 day match 11-14 October NJ O'Brien 100 off 171 balls, AC Botha 100 in 165 balls, KJ O'Brien 100 off 171 balls Close: Day 1: Ireland 1st Innings 282-3 (98 overs, A Botha 65*, K O'Brien 23* Day 2: Kenya 1st innings 62-3 (29 overs SO Tikolo 24*, HA Varaiya 0*) Day 3: Kenya 2nd Innings 146-2 (41 overs, S Waters 65*, SO Tikolo 41*, DT Johnson 2-12)
Points Awarded	Ireland 20, Kenya 0

 

Ireland 1st Innings 578/4 Declared (Overs 160)

Batsman	Fieldsman	Bowler	Runs	Min	Bls	4s	6s
WTS Porterfield*		b PJ Ongondo	1	0	9	0	0
NJ O'Brien+	c PJ Ongondo	b LN Onyango	135	0	235	17	0
AR Cusack	c MA Ouma	b HA Varaiya	42	0	178	5	0
AC Botha	st MA Ouma	b HA Varaiya	109	0	184	16	1
KJ O'Brien	not out		171	0	214	7	12
AR White	not out		92	0	141	10	0
DT Johnston	dnb		-
WK McCallan	dnb		-
RM West	dnb		-
P Connell	dnb		-
WB Rankin	dnb		-
extras		(b9 lb16 w2 nb1)	28
TOTAL		4 wickets for	578

 

FOW

1-19(WTS Porterfield) 2-165(AR Cusack) 3-235(NJ O'Brien) 4-364(AC Botha)

 

Bowler	O	M	R	W	wd	nb
TM Odoyo	5	0	15	0	-	-
PJ Ongondo	33	6	125	1	-	1
LN Onyango	36	3	108	1	2	-
JK Kamande	14	1	62	0	-	-
SO Tikolo	27	3	96	0	-	-
HA Varaiya	45	10	147	2	-	-

 

Kenya 1st Innings 186/10 All Out (Overs 85.1)

Batsman	Fieldsman	Bowler	Runs	Min	Bls	4s	6s
A Obanda	c AC Botha	b WB Rankin	7	0	22	1	0
S Waters	lbw	b P Connell	18	0	36	3	0
RR Patel	lbw	b WK McCallan	12	0	49	1	0
SO Tikolo*	c NJ O'Brien	b RM West	44	0	103	8	0
HA Varaiya	c AR Cusack	b WK McCallan	15	0	79	2	0
MA Ouma+	c AR Cusack	b RM West	22	0	67	3	0
KO Otieno		c&b WK McCallan	4	0	4	1	0
TM Odoyo	c WK McCallan	b RM West	32	0	89	4	0
JK Kamande		b RM West	0	0	2	0	0
LN Onyango	not out		19	0	50	2	0
PJ Ongondo	c WB Rankin	b WK McCallan	7	0	10	1	0
extras		(b0 lb5 w1 nb0)	6
TOTAL		10 wickets for	186

 

FOW

1-11(A Obanda) 2-34(S Waters) 3-60(RR Patel) 4-94(SO Tikolo) 5-104(HA Varaiya)

6-108(KO Otieno) 7-144(MA Ouma) 8-144(JK Kamande) 9-171(TM Odoyo)

10-186(PJ Ongondo)

 

Bowler	O	M	R	W	wd	nb
P Connell	12	7	13	1	-	-
WB Rankin	7	4	22	1	-	-
DT Johnston	5	1	15	0	1	-
AC Botha	4	2	5	0	-	-
WK McCallan	22.1	6	52	4	-	-
RM West	31	12	67	4	-	-
AR Cusack	4	2	7	0	-	-

 

Kenya 2nd Innings (Follow-on Enforced) 327/10 All Out (Overs 135.4)

Batsman	Fieldsman	Bowler	Runs	Min	Bls	4s	6s
S Waters	c WTS Porterfield	b DT Johnston	75	0	163	11	0
KO Otieno	c WB Rankin	b DT Johnston	26	0	37	5	0
A Obanda	lbw	b DT Johnston	4	0	16	0	0
SO Tikolo*		c&b DT Johnston	47	0	91	9	0
MA Ouma+	c AR Cusack	b RM West	1	0	10	0	0
RR Patel	c NJ O'Brien	b WB Rankin	32	0	124	5	0
TM Odoyo	c AC Botha	b RM West	61	0	168	4	0
JK Kamande	not out		42	0	142	7	0
HA Varaiya	lbw	b AC Botha	4	0	33	1	0
LN Onyango		b AC Botha	0	0	14	0	0
PJ Ongondo	lbw	b RM West	4	0	22	1	0
extras		(b14 lb10 w2 nb5)	31
TOTAL		10 wickets for	327

 

FOW

1-63(KO Otieno) 2-76(A Obanda) 3-159(SO Tikolo) 4-164(MA Ouma) 5-164(S Waters)

6-238(RR Patel) 7-294(TM Odoyo) 8-312(HA Varaiya) 9-316(LN Onyango)

10-327(PJ Ongondo)

 

Bowler	O	M	R	W	wd	nb
P Connell	10	1	48	0	1	-
WB Rankin	12	1	49	1	1	-
DT Johnston	21	8	43	4	-	5
WK McCallan	37	15	60	0	-	-
RM West	42.4	17	81	3	-	-
AR Cusack	3	0	8	0	-	-
AR White	4	0	9	0	-	-
AC Botha	6	4	5	2	-	-