Hosts Papua New Guinea hand Kenya their second loss

Kenya cricket team on Sunday suffered a humiliating defeat when hosts Papua New Guinea (PNG) beat them by 21 runs in the ICC World Cricket League Championship at Port Moresby.

This was the second victory for PNG that earned them four points as Kenya return home pointless.

Batting first PNG set a target of 250 in their allotted 50 overs for the loss of six wickets with Viv Morea’s contribution of unbeaten century,102 that came off 142 deliveries with eight boundaries and a six. Sese Bau knocked half a century (66) while John Reva was unbeaten on 43.

However, Papua New Guinea had started their innings on a sour note when Nehemiah Odhiambo had their opening batsman, Lega Siaka, caught by Rakep Patel for a duck with a score of five showing on the scoreboard.

HIGHEST WICKET TAKER

However, Siaka’s opening partner, Morea, steadied the ship and got his team out of troubled waters safely.

Collins Obuya was Kenya’s highest wicket taker with four for 42. Nehemiah Odhiambo (2/57) was the only other Kenyan bowler who got wickets.

In reply Kenyan batsmen were routed for 228 with 13 balls in hand. Kenya’s top order spearheaded by Rushab Patel (95 off 117 balls with nine boundaries), Obuya (38) Rakep Patel (33) and Gurdeep Singh (27) amassed 210 runs for the loss of four wickets in 43.3 overs.

However, the middle order and the tail-enders collapsed like a park of cards with wickets falling at a more regular interval without meaningful runs showing on the scoreboard. Morris Ouma (4), Shem Ngoche (6) Odhiambo (5), Lucas Oluoch (2) Emmanuel Bundi ( zero not out) and Elijah Otieno a golden duck.

John Reva (4/37), Norman Venua (3/47), Sese Bau (1/45) and Chad Soper (1/450) were the wicket takers. Kenya’s next game will be against Hong Kong in November at a venue to be named by the ICC.