Poor Kenya on the backfoot against Scots

• Hosts bowled out for 91 runs, their lowest ever total in ICC tournament

Kenya set a new, unenviable record when they were bowled out for a paltry 91 runs by Scotland on the first day of the four-day International Cricket Council Intercontinental Cup match at the Nairobi Gymkhana on Monday.

The score is Kenya’s lowest first innings total in the tournament for second-tier nations in world cricket.

At stumps on day one, Scotland (121 for free) led Kenya by 30 runs.

Qasim Sheikh top scored for the tourists with an unbeaten half a century (56) and will resume batting this morning sharing the crease with Richie Berrington (seven not out).

Put in to bat first, Kenya failed to cope with Scotland’s stiff bowling and tight fielding and lost wickets at regular intervals without meaningful runs showing on the scoreboard.

Wickets fell like the proverbial nine pins and all the batsmen had been sent back to the pavilion in just 49.1 overs. The home boys started their innings on sour note when the opening pair of Morris Ouma (22) and Seren Waters (one) shared an opening stand of only nine which was broken when Dewald Nel had Waters caught by Ross Lyons with the last ball of the third over.

At one point, Kenya were deep in the woods with five wickets down and a mere 74 posted on the board.

The home team did not recover as they lost the remaining wickets for just 17 runs before the tea break.

Collins Obuya was Kenya’s highest runs getter with 40 and was one of only two batsmen who managed to get double digit figures, the other one being skipper Morris Ouma (22).

Three players - Nehemiah Odhiambo, Nelson “Mandela” Odhiambo and James Ngoche - were all dismissed for ducks and besides Hiren Varaiya (nine) and Steve Tikolo (seven) all the other players got less than five runs.

Scotland’s captain, Gordon Drummond, led the onslaught with three wickets for 18 and was supported by Berrington (3-13), Nel (2-28) and Gordon Goudie (3-30).

The Scots approached their game more cautiously and took a deserved first innings lead. Nehemiah Odhiambo (2-38) and Hiren Varaiya (1-12) were the only wicket takers for Kenya.

Kenyan bowlers have to restrict the Scots today from posting a huge total to avoid humiliating defeat.