Their first victory of the T20 World Cup qualifier was a convincing one as they beat Bermuda by 45 runs
Peter Della Penna in Dubai21-Oct-2019Dhiren Gondaria’s unbeaten 85 led Kenya to their first win of the T20 World Cup Qualifier as they beat Bermuda by 45 runs in Dubai.After choosing to bat on a wearing pitch, Gondaria lifted his side out of an early hole created by disciplined bowling from Bermuda. Alex Obanda fell on the fourth ball of the match for a golden duck miscuing a straight drive to midwicket off George O’Brien where Delray Rawlins took a splendid leaping catch.Kamau Leverock struck twice in his first two overs, getting Irfan Karim caught at midwicket for 15 before a slower ball foxed Collins Obuya to trap him in front for 4. Rodney Trott then had Rakep Patel nicking off to leave Kenya at 66 for 4 after 12 overs.Gondaria could do little but watch as the top order stumbled all around him but eventually he found a willing ally in the No. 6 batsman Rushab Patel. The pair added an unbeaten 72 across the final eight overs with a mixture of sensible strokeplay and a touch of luck.Gondaria had brought up his 50 off 48 balls in the 16th over, then struck back-to-back fours off Rawlins to begin a late surge. In the following over, he inside edged a heave off Leverock that spun back into the stumps but the bails wouldn’t break. Then, on 71, he was then put down at long-off by O’Brien, once again off Leverock’s bowling, as he made the most of his chances and batted through the innings.Bermuda’s chase got off to a dreadful start when Okera Bascome was caught at short fine leg off the first ball from Elijah Otieno. Captain Dion Stovell’s attempt at a glide to third man resulted in his own stumps being rearranged, and then Terryn Fray ran himself out to make it 7 for 3 after just 13 balls.Rawlins did his best to lead a fightback, reverse sweeping Ngoche for his first boundary in the fifth over before charging Obuya for a trio of straight driven fours. He pulled Rakep Patel for a couple of big hits over the leg side in the 12th over but a third attempt resulted in a top-edge being taken at short fine leg by the wicketkeeper Karim, ending a 58-run stand with Janeiro Tucker.Bermuda crumbled thereafter and were all out for 93 as Rawlins’ wicket sparked a collapse (6 for 12). Obuya did most of the damage, dismissing Tucker at long-on before Leverock top-edged a slog to short third man. A googly trapped Onias Bascome for his third wicket before he ended the match bowling O’Brien after a failed charge. After playing three days in a row, Bermuda now has a day off before taking on Namibia, needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive.