Cruising Kenya blast Botswana by seven wickets

Kenya’s opening batsman, 17-year-old Aman Gandhi, on Sunday shone with the bat once again knocking half a ton as his side beat Botswana by seven wickets in the ICC Under-19 World Cup qualifiers at Nairobi Gymkhana.

Gandhi’s 74 runs came off 84 deliveries with 12 boundaries. He was Kenya’s highest runs getter.

The Visa Oshwal student was also Kenya’s top score in their 82 run victory over Ghana on Saturday.

Batting first after winning the toss, Botswana set a meagre target of 140 by the time all their batsmen had been sent back to the pavilion with 36 balls of the allotted 50 overs in hand.

Muaz Arooz (37 off 70 balls with three fours), Valentine Mbazo (23 off 67 balls with two boundaries), Brandon van Zyl (16 off 19 balls with three fours) and Tharindu Pereta (14 off 21 balls with three fours) were the only batsmen who posted double digit figures.

Kenya’s left-arm off-break bowler, Yaksh Patel, was Botswana’s main destroyer taking four wickets for 25. His victims were Valentine Mbazo who he trapped leg before wicket.

He got Brandon van Zyl caught by Sukhdeep Singh. He had Richard Pheko caught by Ankit Hirani for a duck and clean bowled Losika Makyale for naught.

Gerald Mwendwa, Kenya’s right-arm off break bowler broke the backbone of Botswana when he clean bowled their opening pair of Ane Moduke (5) and Perera. Abhishekh Chidambaran (2/27), Gandhi (1/4) and Singh were the other wicket takers.

In reply, Kenya were home and dry, 140 with seven wickets and 130 balls in hand.

FLYING START

Kenya was given a flying start by openers Gandhi and Dennis Musyoka (33 off 50 balls with six fours) who shared an opening partnership of 64. The partnership was broken when Boemo Kgostemang had Musyoka caught by Phemelo Silas.

Gandhi also share a second wicket stand of 56 with Rahul Seedhaer (6 off 20 balls with a four).

Aveet Desai with an unbeaten a run a ball seven that included a four and Thomas Ochieng, who was  eight not out off nine balls with two boundaries, were the other batsmen who contributed runs for their side. Silas (2/14) and Kgostemang (1/29) were Botswana’s wicket takers.

Kenya coach Jimmy Kamande said after the match: “The boys’ performance was 70 per cent of my expectations. There are many areas we need to improve on, consistency being the main thing.”
He added: “The boys batted very well. But we still have to work on pairing of  bowlers.”

Elsewhere at Nairobi Jaffreys, Uganda (148 all out in 35.5 overs) beat Ghana (116 all out in 38.5 overs.

Monday is rest day and action resumes on Tuesday.