Bagai, Hansra set up rare win for Canada

NEW DELHI (AP):

Captain Ashish Bagai and Jimmy Hansra both made half-centuries to set up Canada's second-ever World Cup win as they beat Kenya by five wickets yesterday.

Bagai was 64 not out and Hansra made 70, lifting Canada from 48-3 with a 132-run partnership and sending the North Americans past Kenya's 198 all out in the battle of Group A's bottom teams at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium.

Kenya, the 2003 semi-finalists, slumped to a fourth successive loss at this tournament.

Tamnay Mishra had earlier made 51 and anchored consecutive half-century partnerships with captain Jimmy Kamande and Thomas Odoyo, who also made 51, as Kenya avoided an embarrassing collapse.

Canada fast bowler Henry Osinde produced an opening burst of 3-7 in four overs and Kenya were reeling at 57-5 before the fightback.

Not enough

However, the Africans' highest total at the tournament, so far, was still not enough.

Osinde finished with a career-best 4-26 and Bagai and Hansra guided Canada to victory against a fellow struggler in a match the Canadians had said was their best chance of a rare World Cup win, following three deflating defeats.

"It was part of the goal coming in (to beat Kenya)," Bagai said. "We're living in the present. Henry bowled fantastic first up, got us the advantage and then we pulled it back ... and two guys batted well to get us over the line.

"Hoping we can use this to spark us for the next two games."

Kenya also made early inroads into Canada's top order, removing Rizwan Cheema in a dramatic fourth over when he sent Elijah Otieno for a six and then a four before being bowled for a quick-fire 17 from 13 balls.

A flurry of boundaries

Zubin Surkari and Ravindu Gunasekera then fell in the space of eight balls as the chase stuttered.

But Bagai and Hansra played with composure to put Canada back in control and once set, launched a flurry of boundaries toward the end.

Hansra had struck seven fours and two sixes when he was finally out with Canada 19 runs short of victory. He had been dropped off a simple chance when on zero by Seren Waters, and made the Kenyans pay with his first career ODI half-century.

Bagai saw his team home, sending a cut over the infield and to the boundary for the match-winning four. It sealed Canada's first win at the World Cup in eight years, following their only previous success at the tournament against Bangladesh in 2003 - and sent Kenya to their most painful defeat so far.

"I won't hide it. Today is the most disappointing performance we've had at the tournament," Kenya captain Jimmy Kamande said. "We could have done much better against Canada. It's very, very hurtful now.

"Although we had 198, we still believed we could defend that. One crucial catch was dropped and the guy capitalised on that. I won't blame anyone."