By IANS
Kingsmead : Pacer Mark Gillespie captured four wickets as New Zealand crushed Kenya by nine wickets in a Group C match of the Twenty20 World Championship here Wednesday.
Gillespie was instrumental in the Kiwis dismissing Kenya for the lowest ever score, 73 in 16.5 overs, in the shortest version of cricket after New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori won the toss and chose to bowl.
In reply, New Zealand reached home easily, scoring 74 for the loss of Lou Vincent’s wicket in a mere 7.4 overs.
Gillespie was adjudged the Man of the Match for his excellent figures of 2.5-0-7-4 at Kingsmead ground.
This match’s result was quite different from Tuesday’s thrilling encounter between South Africa and the West Indies in Johannesburg. West Indies’ opener Chris Gayle became the first batsman to score a century in Twenty20 but Herschelle Gibbs’ unbeaten 90 took the hosts home.
In contrast, first of Wednesday’s three matches was thoroughly one-sided.
Batting first Kenya lost their first three wickets without a run on board. The top four batsmen, including experienced captain Steve Tikolo, failed to score a run.
The African side never recovered from these blows and was eventually all out for 73, with Collins Obuya and Thomas Odoyo scoring 18 runs apiece.
The previous lowest total was Australia’s 79 against England in June 2005.
Apart from Gillespie, pacer Shane Bond, Chris Martin and Vettori took two wickets apiece.
When New Zealand batted, Vincent emerged as the top scorer with 26 while Peter Fulton remained unbeaten on 21. The other unbeaten batsman was Brendon McCullum (16).
SCOREBOARD
New Zealand vs. Kenya, Twenty20 World Championship, Kingsmead, Durban
Kenya:
Maurice Ouma b Bond 0
David Obuya hit wicket b Gillespie 0
Tanmay Mishra c Oram b Bond 0
Steve Tikolo lbw b Gillespie 0
Collins Obuya st McCullum b Vettori 18
Thomas Odoyo c Taylor b Martin 18
Nehemiah Odhiambo c Taylor b Martin 0
Alex Obanda b Vettori 4
Jimmy Kamande b Gillespie 14
Rajesh Bhudia not out 11
Peter Ongondo b Gillespie 0
Extras; (leg byes 2, wides 6) 8
Total: (all out in 16.5 overs) 73
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Ouma, 0.2 overs), 2-0 (Mishra, 0.5), 3-0 (D.O. Obuya, 1.1), 4-1 (Tikolo, 1.5), 5-37 (Odoyo, 8.3), 6-39 (Odhiambo, 10.4), 7-42 (C.O. Obuya, 11.4), 8-46 (Obanda, 13.2), 9-73 (Kamande, 16.3)
Bowling:
Shane Bond 4 1 12 2 (1w)
Mark Gillespie 2.5 0 7 4 (2w)
Jacob Oram 2 0 20 0 (1w)
Chris Martin 4 1 14 2 (1w)
Daniel Vettori 4 0 18 2 4.50 (1w)
New Zealand:
Lou Vincent c David Obuya b Odoyo 27
Brendan McCullum not out 16
Peter Fulton not out 21
Extras: (lb 5, w 4, nb 1) 10
Total: (for one wicket in 7.4 overs) 74
Fall of wicket: 1-40 (Vincent, 4.3 overs)
Bowling:
Thomas Odoyo 3 0 22 1 (1nb, 2w)
Peter Ongondo 3 0 22 0 (2w)
Nehemiah Odhiambo 1 0 8 0
Rajesh Bhudia 0.4 0 17 0
Result: New Zealand won by nine wickets
Man of the Match: Mark Gillespie (New Zealand)
Umpires: Simon Taufel (Australia) and Billy Doctrove (West Indies)
TV umpire: Steve Davis (Australia)
Match referee: Mike Procter (South Africa)