<Bz99>Bermuda crushed
A shell-shocked Bermuda team returned to their Nairobi hotel last night smarting from what the record books will show was their worst one-day international defeat since being granted official ODI status some 19 months ago.
Crushed by ten wickets in this World One-Day League opener by the tournament hosts, the Island players were left to contemplate an abject performance which lacked both discipline and desire.
If any confidence was taken from Saturday’s 55-run win over Uganda, it evaporated as quickly as the morning dew on the picturesque Jaffrey’s Sports Ground where Bermuda must return tomorrow to take on the Irish.
How coach Gus Logie can lift his men in time for that clash remains to be seen, but for the players there’ll be ample time during today’s rest day for some serious soul-searching.
From the time opener Clay Smith lost his wicket from the third ball of the day, adjudged lbw to the fiery pace of Thomas Odoyo — the Kenyans’ chief destroyer during their 3-0 series whitewash of Bermuda in Mombasa just over two months ago — it was a battle that the visiting team never looked likely to win.
Ultimately, it was much worse.
Save for a courageous half-century from Smith’s fellow opener Dean Minors, there was nothing positive whatsoever to take out of the result.
In truth the batting was as pitiful as the bowling, although bowlers such as Kevin Hurdle, who conceded a painful 55 runs in just five overs, might argue their total of 133 was one they could never have defended no matter what their length and line.
That score, compiled in a dismal 39.3 overs, represented Bermuda’s lowest total in the 13 official ODIs they have now played since qualifying for the World Cup in June, 2005.
In that time they’ve lost four times to Kenya, twice to Canada, twice to Zimbabwe and once to Holland, having beaten the Dutch on one occasion and the Canadians in three contests.
And unless there’s enormous improvement, it’s a record that can only deteriorate over the next week as Bermuda face first Ireland tomorrow, and then Canada, Holland and Scotland.
Their troubles began yesterday just minutes after the 9.30 a.m. start when, having lost the toss, they were invited to bat on a pitch that contained no obvious demons.
Smith prodded forwarded to Odoyo’s first two deliveries but offered no stroke as the third rapped him on the pads, and the veteran seemed somewhat perplexed as Sri Lankan umpire Tyrone Wijewardene raised his finger.
Odoyo might have struck the first blow but it was his pace partner Peter Ongondo who proceeded to rip the heart out of Bermuda’s early order, helped in no small part by some questionable shot selection.
Skipper Irving Romaine, looking to carry on with the form that earned him a half-century against Uganda on Saturday, smacked an exquisite square cut to the boundary off Odoyo to get off the mark.
But just one over later he paid the price as he slashed wildly at Ongondo and was comfortably held at mid-on by Tamray Mishra, having contributed just six.
At 19 for two after four overs, Saleem Mukuddem was promoted up the order to help ease the pressure but neither he nor David Hemp were able to prevent a steady decline.
Dropped in the gully on four, Mukuddem managed to double that score before he edged an Ongondo delivery to first-slip Ravindu Shah and Hemp then opened his account with a boundary off the same bowler before he became victim number four, gloved by wicketkeeper Maurice Ouma.
Amidst the wreckage, Minors appeared untroubled and at 44 for four he finally found a reliable partner in Janeiro Tucker as between them they made a determined effort to repair the damage.
Tucker, his international form patchy at best over the last year, played mainly a supporting role as Minors kept the scoreboard ticking over at a respectable rate, thrashing five fours and two sixes in his invaluable knock of 52.
But when these two were separated, having added a useful 50 in 11 overs, the end was virtually in sight.
Somerset’s Cup Match skipper went first, undone by the nagging accuracy of spin bowler Hiren Varaiya, who earned an lbw decision in the 25th over with Tucker on 17 and the total on 94. Minors, the sixth wicket to fall, departed an over later, caught and bowled by skipper Steve Tikolo for the addition of just one more. New bats Lionel Cann and Delyone Borden made little more than cameo appearances.
Having top-scored with 71 on Saturday, Cann looked to continue in that vein as he heaved Tikolo for a straight six to bring up the 100 in the 29th over. But on the very next ball Borden was run out without scoring, trying to steal a single, and Cann (nine) quickly followed as he became Varaiya’s second lbw victim.
The total of 104 for eight in the 30th over became 108 for nine in the 33rd as Malachi Jones was bowled by Tikolo.
It was then left to Hurdle (23) and Leverock (3) to provide a grandstand finish, pushing the total up to 133 with a desperate final stand of 25.
Hurdle smacked three sixes and a four as the tail wagged for six overs, but in the end there were never enough runs on the board to threaten a Kenya team full of batting promise.
Favourites to win this tournament, the hosts needed only openers David Obuya and Maurice Ouma to finish the job off.
Obuya started as he ended, stroking 11 runs off Mukuddem’s opening over, and settling the contest with a boundary off the first ball of the 19th over.
Between them they barely offered a chance, Obuya belting 12 fours and a six in a masterful innings of 75, which was to later earn him man-of-the-match honours, and Ouma contributing 57, a knock containing 11 fours.
None of the five bowlers used escaped punishment, although the opening pair were particularly severe on Hurdle and the normally economical Leverock (nought for 37 off six overs).
Jones conceded 20 off 3.1 overs, Borden 11 off two overs and Mukuddem 13 off two before he was removed from the attack after twisting his ankle in the outfield.
Mukuddem is expected to be fit for tomorrow’s game.
But on this showing only Minors can be sure of retaining his place.
