Drakes, Gayle Help W.I Crush Kenya

Tue, Mar 4, '03

 

Vasbert Drakes signed off the West Indies' World Cup with a career-best wicket haul as they beat Kenya by 142 runs.

Drakes took five for 33 as Kenya had no answer to some accurate and ferocious bowling in Kimberley. Kenya had done well to restrict West Indies to 246-7 in their 50 overs, with Chris Gayle the only batsman to notch up a convincing knock with his first ton of the tournament.

But West Indies bowlers soon knocked off the Kenya wickets to salvage some pride after being dumped out of the World Cup in unfortunate circumstances.

Veteran Drakes cemented his position as the West Indies' player of the tournament with a fine bowling spell, which included the wickets of Brijil Patel and Hitesh Modi in one over. And he was ably assisted by young pretender Jermaine Lawson, playing in his first game.

The 20-year-old Lawson was bowling around the 95mph mark and after a wayward first over, which included three wides, he knuckled down to strike fear into the hearts of the Kenya batsmen.

And it paid off when Maurice Odumbe fell onto his own stumps for a rare hit wicket duck. Lawson then took the wicket of Collins Obuya to finish with two for 16 off eight overs.

Kenya desperately needed batting practice ahead of their Super Six matches, after becoming the first non-Test playing nation to qualify for the second round.

But their batting frailties were cruelly exposed by West Indies, who had looked distinctly out-of-sorts when electing to bat first.

Gayle hit a workmanlike 119, but he never looked at ease at the crease. Brian Lara also looked uncomfortable and was caught, when he had scored just 10 off 30 balls, attempting a six.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul had opened with Gayle, pushing Wavell Hinds down the order, and he made a quickfire 66.

Marlon Samuels made his first appearance at the World Cup but he was soon back in the pavilion, out for 14.

Ricardo Powell, Carl Hooper, Hinds and Ridley Jacobs all lost their wickets cheaply as they set Kenya a modest total. Kenya bowled and fielded with discipline and enthusiasm, Collins Obuya and Maurice Odombe the pick of the bowlers.

But they could not prevent West Indies avenging their shock defeat in the 1996 World Cup.

* From wire reports.