ICC MEDIA RELEASE
Dubai, 5 February 2008
A century from Thomas Odoyo and five wickets from Hiren Varaiya has put Kenya on the verge of securing the points for an innings lead after day two of the ICC Intercontinental Cup match against the United Arab Emirates at Sharjah Stadium on Tuesday.
Odoyo resumed in the morning unbeaten on 79 and duly delivered the goods, registering the second first-class century of his career and ending up with 137 before finally being dismissed, clean bowled by Khurram Khan.
In all, Odoyo faced 272 deliveries in a classy innings that included nine fours and four sixes. It was the stand-out contribution for Kenya as the team amassed 326 all out and with the UAE struggling to 185-8 by the close of play, Steve Tikolo’s men are very much in control, 141 runs ahead.
The UAE bowlers had stuck well to their task with Arshad Ali and Fahad al Hashmi picking up three wickets apiece and Khan snaffling two. But 326 was always going to be a competitive total on what was a true, but somewhat slow, Sharjah pitch.
And so it proved. Left-arm spinner Varaiya bowled beautifully in the winter sunshine, taking 5-50 in 23 overs, the fourth five-wicket haul of the 23-year-old’s first-class career.
Indeed, crucially it was Varaiya who made the breakthrough for Kenya. UAE had started well with Rashid Khan (38) and Arshad (34) putting on 67 for the first wicket but then Varaiya struck three times in quick succession to have the host in trouble at 78-3. After that only number seven batsman Amjad Ali offered resistance and he remains not out overnight on 37.
The match is being umpired by Russell Tiffin of the Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires and Paul Baldwin of the ICC Associates and Affiliates Umpires’ Panel. Play resumes on Wednesday at 0930 at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
The ICC Intercontinental Cup has quickly grown in stature and profile since its inception three years ago and now the ICC’s premier first-class tournament is an integral part of the Associate Members’ cricket schedule.
Having previously been designed around a two-group, three-day format, the event has evolved into an eight-team, round-robin and truly global tournament featuring four-day cricket which gives those teams who do not play Test cricket the chance to experience the longer form of the game.
Scotland won the first ICC Intercontinental Cup in 2004, beating Canada in the final, while Ireland has been victorious in both events since then, beating Kenya in the 2005 decider and Canada earlier this year in the 2006-07 event.
The final of the ICC Intercontinental Cup 2007-08 will take place in November 2008 in Dubai.
Dubai, 5 February 2008
A century from Thomas Odoyo and five wickets from Hiren Varaiya has put Kenya on the verge of securing the points for an innings lead after day two of the ICC Intercontinental Cup match against the United Arab Emirates at Sharjah Stadium on Tuesday.
Odoyo resumed in the morning unbeaten on 79 and duly delivered the goods, registering the second first-class century of his career and ending up with 137 before finally being dismissed, clean bowled by Khurram Khan.
In all, Odoyo faced 272 deliveries in a classy innings that included nine fours and four sixes. It was the stand-out contribution for Kenya as the team amassed 326 all out and with the UAE struggling to 185-8 by the close of play, Steve Tikolo’s men are very much in control, 141 runs ahead.
The UAE bowlers had stuck well to their task with Arshad Ali and Fahad al Hashmi picking up three wickets apiece and Khan snaffling two. But 326 was always going to be a competitive total on what was a true, but somewhat slow, Sharjah pitch.
And so it proved. Left-arm spinner Varaiya bowled beautifully in the winter sunshine, taking 5-50 in 23 overs, the fourth five-wicket haul of the 23-year-old’s first-class career.
Indeed, crucially it was Varaiya who made the breakthrough for Kenya. UAE had started well with Rashid Khan (38) and Arshad (34) putting on 67 for the first wicket but then Varaiya struck three times in quick succession to have the host in trouble at 78-3. After that only number seven batsman Amjad Ali offered resistance and he remains not out overnight on 37.
The match is being umpired by Russell Tiffin of the Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires and Paul Baldwin of the ICC Associates and Affiliates Umpires’ Panel. Play resumes on Wednesday at 0930 at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
The ICC Intercontinental Cup has quickly grown in stature and profile since its inception three years ago and now the ICC’s premier first-class tournament is an integral part of the Associate Members’ cricket schedule.
Having previously been designed around a two-group, three-day format, the event has evolved into an eight-team, round-robin and truly global tournament featuring four-day cricket which gives those teams who do not play Test cricket the chance to experience the longer form of the game.
Scotland won the first ICC Intercontinental Cup in 2004, beating Canada in the final, while Ireland has been victorious in both events since then, beating Kenya in the 2005 decider and Canada earlier this year in the 2006-07 event.
The final of the ICC Intercontinental Cup 2007-08 will take place in November 2008 in Dubai.