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CHENNAI.
New Zealand thrashed Kenya by 10 wickets in the Cri-cket World Cup yesterday, making a mockery of the African nation’s campaign to feature at the slimmed-down 2015 edition.
Fast bowler Hamish Bennett finished with 4-16, his best figures in nine one-day internationals, while Tim Southee and Jacob Oram took three wickets each to bowl out the minnows for just 69 off just 23.5 overs.
It was Kenya’s lowest World Cup total and the fifth worst in tournament history.
Their capitulation came at the worst possible time for the sport’s second-tier nations with the International Cricket Council determined to have a 10-nation World Cup, instead of the current 14 teams, in four years’ time.
New Zealand openers Martin Guptill (39) and Brendon McCullum (26) raced to the target in only eight overs to bring an early end to the game played before near-empty stands in 30-degree heat at the 50 000-capacity Chidambaram Stadium.
Guptill hit two sixes and five fours in his 32-ball knock. McCullum, batting in his favourite position, hit fours fours, three of them in what turned out to be the final over by Kenya captain Jimmy Kamande.
“I don’t think it was the wicket, it was the areas New Zealand bowled,” said Kamande. “We’ve got to be more positive in whatever we do. They came very hard at us. We have to learn from this performance today.” – AFP.