Kenya's Thomas Odoyo launches one of his three sixes off Luuk van Troost's final over as Dutch keeper J. Smits looks on. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

Tony Becca, Contributing Editor

FALMOUTH, Trelawny:

KENYA, CONQUERORS of the West Indies in 1996, semi-finalists in 2003 and the top-ranked team among the ICC's associate members, ended their preparation for the World Cup of cricket in style when they defeated the Netherlands, their fellow associate member, by nine runs in a close and exciting warm-up match at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium yesterday.

Batting first on an easy-paced pitch, in brilliant sunshine and before almost empty stands, Kenya, riding on the backs of TonySuji, 47, captain Steve Tikolo, 51, Collins Obuya, 33, and Thomas Odoyo, 73, recovered from a shaky start to post 274 for eight off their allotted 50 overs.

Then, with Nehemiah Odhiambo taking a brilliant catch, with Collins Obuya coming in from midwicket and hitting the stumps on the run to win a close runout decision and with Tikolo, five for 48 off his 10 overs, picking up three wickets in one over in fading light, limited the Netherlands to 265 for nine off their 50 overs.

Promising start

In a promising start, the Netherlands had Kenya reeling at 21 for three in the fifth over with pacer Darron Reekers bowling Maurice Ouma for four at seven for one and pacer Mark Jonkman removing both Ravindu Shah and David Obuya - one going caught by Daan van Bunge for one at eight for two and the other caught and bowled for 13.

Thanks to a wonderful fourth-wicket stand of 104 between Suji and Tikolo, however, Kenya started their recovery and, despite slipping from 125 for three to 141 for six in the 31st over, dominated the action with 123 runs coming off the last 20 overs including 71 off the last five and 24 off the last one.

In a brutal attack before he was caught at midwicket going for another six, Odoyo rattled up 49 off 43 deliveries with one six and two fours, before, with Luuk van Troost bowling the last over, his only over of the innings, he moved into the Dutch captain and smashed him for three sixes - to long-on, to mid-wicket and to long-off, a two and a four before, in attempting another big hit off the last delivery, he skied a catch to Tim de Leede.

Good start

Dutch openers Bas Zuiderent (left) and Darron Reekers cross during their opening partnership of 142 against Kenya yesterday. - Dellmar

Needing an average of 5.50 runs per over to win the match, the Netherlands were handed a good start by opening batsmen Bas Zuiderent and Reekers who reeled off some lovely, attacking shots against the medium-pacers of Kenya while posting a partnership of 142 in 29.1 overs.

When Reekers went for 75 off 91 deliveries, caught by Shah at midwicket hitting at the off-spin of Tikolo after stroking five fours and hitting one six, Zuiderent, caught by Odhiambo running in from square-leg and then going to his left off Peter Ongondo, followed for 65 at 167 for two, and it was 169 for three in the 34th over when Alexei Kervezee was run out by Collins Obuya for zero.

With the scoreboard reading 215 for four in the 44th over, with 60 needed from six overs, victory for the Netherlands was difficult but not impossible, and with Peter Borren smashing James Kamande for three sixes in the 47th over, with the scoreboard reading 256 for four in the 48th over, and with 19 runs needed with 2.4 overs to go, the chase was on.

In a dramatic finish, however, in a desperate bid to win the match, the Netherlands lost five wickets for nine runs with captain Tikolo, after rescuing his team with the bat, turning the screws with the ball.

Kenya innings

M. Ouma b Reekers