TELFORD VICE, Nairobi | Wednesday 6.30pm.
INDIA took a further step towards Sunday’s final with an ultimately routine victory over the enthusiastic but underwhelming hosts at Nairobi Gymkhana on Wednesday.
South Africa should have equally little trouble subduing Kenya on Thursday, but they would be well advised to rack up the runs at as furious a rate as possible to ensure they do not fall into the net runrate trap.
Zimbabwe would need to beat India on Friday, and by some margin, to prevent South Africa qualifying for their first final of the new season.
But it could have been different had Kenya taken their opportunities on Wednesday.
A grassy pitch and cloudy skies assisted the Kenyan seamers and by the 42nd over India had dwindled to 145-4.
However, the match then turned in the space of four deliveries.
First, Kennedy Otieno missed a simple stumping that would have caught Ajay Jadeja yards out of his ground.
Two balls later Jadeja heaved a ball from Maurice Odumbe over backward square leg for six, and Vijay Bwardhaj hit the first delivery of Steve Tikolo’s next over high over long-on to complete the radical swing in momentum.
Any hopes Kenya had of staying on course were shattered when they lost four wickets in the first nine overs of their innings.
Number seven Thomas Odoyo top scored with 33 off 60 balls, but by that stage all Kenya were hoping to do was stay alive at the crease.
* News from the South African camp is that Herschelle Gibbs, who sprained his right big toe in the match against Zimbabwe on Tuesday, will miss Thursday’s game but could be fit for the final. –MWP