Kenya 137 for 0 (Obuya 74*, Ouma 56*) beat Bermuda 133 (Minors 52, Ongondo 3-23) by ten wickets
Scorecard

Hosts Kenya made a rousing start to the World Cricket League at Nairobi’s Jaffreys Sports Club, destroying a dismal Bermuda by ten wickets in as one-sided a contest as the tournament is likely to produce. That they won with more than 31 overs to spare told the whole story.Bermuda, one of the outsiders, only arrived in the country on Friday, and stuck in on a hazy and warm day, they looked extremely rusty as three wickets from the lively Peter Ongondo reduced them to 44 for 4. Had it not been for Dean Minor’s stoic 52, the innings would probably have fallen apart. As it was, he stood firm and finally found support from Janeiro Tucker, the pair adding 50 for the fifth wicket.As may well be the case throughout the tournament, the spinners were hard to get away on the spin-friendly Kenyan surfaces. The fast-improving Hiren Varaiya made the breakthough to remove Tucker, and an over later Steve Tikolo took a return catch to end Minor’s knock. Soon after, Delyone Borden perished to a direct hit from Tanmay Mishra, although the batsmen was entirely at fault as he sauntered towards the non-striker’s end.When Malachi Jones looked to mow Tikolo out of the ground and was bowled, Bermuda were 108 for 9, and only some late clubbing from Kevin Hurdle, including two towering sixes over long-on off Tikolo, enabled them to muster something remotely defendable.The gulf between the sides was even more apparent when Kenya batted. David Obuya cut loose from the start, savaging the opening bowlers, while Maurice Ouma, in need of runs to secure his place, initially adopted a more circumspect approach. Obuya was already on 32 before Ouma got off the mark, but thereafter it was an unremitting onslaught from both men.Obuya brought up his fifty with a towering six over long-on, losing the ball in the process for the second time in 20 minutes. Ouma almost caught his colleague up by the end – it was effortless and disdainful. But, being brutally honest, Bermuda were utterly dreadful, repeatedly bowling short and appearing to throw in the towel long before the end.Kenya’s fielding was very impressive all day, and they looked committed, athletic and skillful. Sadly, Bermuda were less so, and their dire performance suggested that the criticisms leveled at them in recent months regarding their lack of professionalism have not been taken on board.

Alex Kountouris, Australia’s physiotherapist, does not want Andrew Symonds to play against The Netherlands on Sunday and will save him for the match against South Africa. Symonds light-heartedly told Ricky Ponting he was ready to play in the 203-run win over Scotland on Wednesday, but the captain said he was getting “seriously close” to full fitness.However, Kountouris will stick to his plan to have Symonds back on the field in “a week or so”. “[The Netherlands game] is three days away and he is not going to play in that game,” he said in the Courier-Mail. “The realistic game I am still looking at is South Africa.”Kountouris said he had to be convinced Symonds could throw hard before he would be cleared. He has done fielding drills, is bowling slowly in the nets and his batting schedule has inceased since Australia landed in the West Indies.”I want him to play as many games as possible,” Kountouris said. “It’s going OK but it is not worth the risk. That is too much of a risk in my view because he hasn’t thrown and he hasn’t batted enough.”

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out – Pakistan
How they were out – Zimbabwe

Imran Nazir’s destructive career-best 160 was the centrepiece of Pakistan’s defiant 93-run victory over Zimbabwe under the Duckworth-Lewis method. It was a day full of emotion as they took the field for the first time since the death of Bob Woolmer, none more so than when Inzamam-ul-Haq’s final ODI knock ended and he walked off in tears. Pakistan powered to their highest World Cup total before Zimbabwe, already in a hopeless position, collapsed in a heap after a lengthy rain delay, in the process confirming Ireland’s place in the Super Eights.Whether the motivation came from playing for pride, their coach or their captain, Pakistan put in a proud display. In a fitting finish Inzamam took the final catch, off surprise wicket-taker Mohammad Yousuf, and the team broke out into smiles. The captain led his players off and took the applause of a small crowd. It was a brief moment of enjoyment during a dark period.Nazir’s blistering century set a series of landmarks. It was comfortably the highest score of the tournament – overtaking Jacques Kallis’s 128 against Netherlands – and is also the highest individual ODI total in West Indies. The eight sixes he struck equals the World Cup record for a batsman’s innings, set by Ricky Ponting in the 2003 final against India at Johannesburg.From a coincidental perspective it was Nazir’s second ODI ton, his first also coming against Zimbabwe in the Caribbean, during the 2000-01 tri-series. Nearly seven years have elapsed since and Nazir has been in and out of the team. When he returned in South Africa it was after an absence of two years, but this effort should ensure he is part of whatever team Pakistan rebuild when they return home.He began the innings in an aggressive, but controlled, manner as Pakistan juggled their batting order and used Kamran Akmal and Shoaib Malik in the first three. Both came and went after brief efforts as Nazir passed fifty off 57 balls. Then the acceleration came as three figures arrived from 95 deliveries, although he was dropped by Friday Kasteni on 81 at deep square-leg. Prosper Utseya and Sean Williams felt the full force of his bat, but none of the bowlers escaped, especially when his third fifty took just 21 balls. With him past 150 and eight overs to go, the first double century in ODIs was for the taking before one strike didn’t find the middle and was well held by Stuart Matsikenyeri at extra cover running backwards.

The effect of the past few days on Pakistan was clear when Inzamam came in at No. 4 and he appeared intent on leaving a mark for Woolmer in his final innings. With utmost professionalism he set about batting, stamping his authority with a straight six off Utseya and another over midwicket off Williams. When a couple of shots landed short of fielders it appeared it might be his day but then he picked out cover. Every Zimbabwe player ran up to shake his hand and the moment got to Inzamam as his Pakistan team-mates formed a guard of honour as he walked off.His stand with Nazir brought 70 in 10 overs and, after a rare failure for Yousuf, Younis Khan joined in a partnership of 82 in less than 10 overs for the fifth wicket. All the batsmen played with freedom although the lower order fell away until Rao Iftikar’s thumping 16-ball 32. Zimbabwe’s bowlers showed spirit but their limitations were cruelly exposed.The batting fared no better, in fact providing an ever starker reminder of Zimbabwe’s problems. The collapse started with just the second ball as Vusi Sibanda drove limply to point. Chamu Chibhahba didn’t help his own cause, trying to charge Umar Gul the ball after taking a painful blow on the hand and edging to Inzamam at second slip and he claimed a second catch when Friday Kasteni was beaten for pace by Mohammad Sami.A heavy downpour sent the players off for around two hours, but relented just in time to finish the innings when it was reduced to 20 overs. On resumption Zimbabwe needed 163 off 58 balls and both teams appeared keen to get it over and done with. The spinners bagged themselves a few wickets – Shahid Afridi reaching 200 in ODIs – between a flurry of sixes as the batsmen swung without too much care.

Certain numbers can trigger instant recognition from the true cricket fan. The figures 400, 375, and 501 evoke the memory of Brian Lara’s epics of batsmanship, in Antigua and at Edgbaston. 519 will remain linked to Courtney Walsh. The intensity of the debate over the number of centuries scored by Sir Jack Hobbs is due in part to the attachment many have to the traditional figure of 197, rather than the perhaps more statistically accurate figure of 199.The number 628 is perhaps known to fewer followers of the game. It marks the crowning achievement in minor cricket records, the highest single innings score by a batsman in any class of cricket. Compiling this class of records is fraught with difficulty – it is hard to verify, hard to locate scorebooks, and sometimes there are feats that beggar belief. The names are generally obscure, the teams even more so (although it is worth noting that the highest partnership for any wicket ever recorded was between a certain SR Tendulkar and VG Kambli). The record of 628 has stood for over 100 years, and was set by AEJ Collins, a schoolboy at Clifton College. More of Collins later, as it is worth tracing the history of this particular record.In the early days of cricket this is difficult – records are far from complete, and scoring was rudimentary. A convenient starting point is the first known stroke-by-stroke scorebook record of a game. This dates from 31 August 1769, when the Duke of Dorset’s XI played Wrotham. It also contains the record of the first known century, an innings of 107 by John Minshull. As far as it can be traced, the record was broken twice in the next decade. Minshull was playing for Surrey six years later when John Small (senior) broke it, making 136. Small was playing for the legendary Hambledon club, who in this match at Broad Halfpenny Down beat the county by a massive 296 runs. Small was in his way a cricketing revolutionary, a bat-maker who abandoned the curved bats then in style for the modern straight-bladed bat. Both Small and Minshull were participants in the match where J Aylward extended the record to 167, as Hambledon beat All England by an innings.Lord Frederick Beauclerk was the next record holder; at the beginning of the 19th century he dominated the cricket scene like no one else. Described as “an unmitigated scoundrel” by Benny Green, he was also a talented cricketer, who in 1806 beat Aylward’s record by three runs, whilst playing as a given man for the Homerton Club against Montpelier. Montpelier were so overwhelmed by Beauclerk (who also had a hand in ten of their wickets) that they conceded the match.Beauclerk’s 170 stood until the first double hundred was hit in 1820 by Mr W Ward. He was playing for the MCC against Norfolk at Lord’s and recorded the massive score of 278. Ward was a prominent figure in more than one way. A powerful hitter, he wielded a four-pound bat, a favourite that saw 50 years of service. He was a director of the Bank of England and later an MP for the City of London. He also saved Lord’s five years later; when Thomas Lord decided to develop the ground for housing. Ward bought out Lord’s interest for £5,000, later to transfer the lease to JH Dark.Ward’s record stood until 1837 when Alfred Adams, playing for Saffron Walden against Bishop’s Stortford (at the time villages in rural Essex, now suburban commuter towns) beat it by a solitary run. We know more about the next holder of the record, the splendidly named Edward Ferdinando Sutton Tylecote. He was a Test player, touring Australia with Ivo Bligh, and hitting a memorable 66 in the match that decided the series. A wicket-keeper, he made two first-class hundreds for Kent, but his big innings came when he was just 19, and at school at Clifton College. In a practice match between Classical and Modern he hit the first quadruple hundred, 404*.Tylecote, of course was a classical scholar, and after the Moderns had been dismissed for exactly 100 (Tylecote taking three wickets – presumably his wicket-keeping talents were not required), he opened the innings. The 100 mark was soon passed, but it appears that although this was a single innings match, the game continued until all Classical batsmen had had an innings. By the third afternoon, the Classical scholars totalled 630, with the next highest score being 52. The bowling figures mercifully are not recorded. Tylecote scored one seven, five fives, 21 fours, 39 threes, 42 twos and 87 ones – all run except for one four hit out of the ground. and batted for approximately 6 hours.Tylecote’s innings attracted considerable publicity, and was the subject of an article in that year’s Wisden by WH Knight, who listed all known double-hundreds – only 26 at that time, with seven of those innings taking place in 1868. High scoring was to become more commonplace in the next few years, with the improvement of wickets and the advent of WG Grace. Clifton was definitely the place to make a high score, with both WG and his brother EM making double centuries for the Clifton Club. In 1876 WG made 400* for the United South of England. Presumably he was not much interested in passing Tylecote’s record.So it was not WG who broke Tylecote’s record but the far more obscure WN Roe, a promising schoolboy batsman who had gone up to Cambridge. Despite making good scores in college matches, and playing some matches for the University XI, he had failed to gain his blue. In July 1881, University cricket consisted of teams put together by scholars who chose to stay at Cambridge during the summer break. The Emmanuel Long Vacation Club team were to play Caius’ long vacation team but could only find nine men. Accordingly they looked for a couple of substitutes, and asked Roe (a Magdalen man) to play. What their opponents thought of this is not recorded, but they cannot have been overly impressed when Roe took five wickets with his off-breaks.

Caius only managed 100, and then had to face Roe again, opening the innings. At the end of the first day, Emmanuel had made 157 without losing a wicket, and the rout continued the following afternoon. Roe started to play carelessly after he passed 200, and was dropped three times. With a record in prospect, his team-mates told him to concentrate. At the end of the day, he’d passed Tylecote’s record by 11 runs – 415* in four hours 55 minutes. All hits were run out – thus Roe ran 708 runs, close to eight miles. Wisden described the opposition bowling as “weak in the extreme”. Roe went on to play 83 first-class matches, making four first-class hundreds, playing for Somerset as well as the University.We know far less about the next record holder, JS Carrick, who played for the West of Scotland. The Scots were on tour in southern England in 1885, and took on the Priory Park Club in a two-day match at Chichester. Carrick opened the innings, and proceeded to bat for the entire two days, making an unbeaten 419 out of 745/4. Carrick batted for eleven and a half hours in all and scored one eight (a huge hit to square leg), two sixes, two fives and 30 fours. The Priory Park bowling was headed by James Lillywhite, a bowler with over 1,200 first-class wickets, including eight in his two Tests. He was in his final year of first-class cricket but his figures of 1/170 suggest that Carrick was a very good batsman. Carrick’s innings featured some strong off-driving, and big hits to leg, and he only gave two chances, one to deep-mid-on and one to the keeper. Priory Park did not seem to resent being denied an opportunity to bat and at the conclusion of the second day, Carrick was “carried to the dressing room amid immense cheering”.His record stood just a single year before being broken by AE Stoddart. Stoddart was perhaps the most distinguished of cricketers to hold the record, captaining England in Australia, and acknowledged as one of the best bats of his day. He had made his first-class debut in 1885 – he was 22 at the time and it is said that prior to that date he did not take cricket seriously. His name came to national attention following his mammoth 485 for Hampstead against the Stoics, made in a single day on August 4 1886. The Stoics would have had to be stoical indeed as Hampstead batted the entire day of the one-day game, making 813 in the process. Stoddart was seventh out, batting six hours and ten minutes and including one eight, three fives, and 64 fours. The runs were scored at a rapid pace – the score was 370 for 3 at lunch after 150 minutes of play. He made 207 for Hampstead in the next match three days later, and on August 9 was playing for Middlesex and made 98 – 790 runs in a week. His big innings launched a stellar career. He made his debut in Tests the next year (as well as representing England at Rugby), and toured Australia four times, twice as captain. He made 221 in his final first-class innings in 1900.And so finally to AEJ Collins, and back to Clifton College. Indian-born, Arthur Edward Jeune Collins was 13 when picked to play for his Clifton College house (Clarke’s) against North Town. House matches were played to a finish over as many afternoons as it took to complete the match. Few would have predicted that this game would finish six days after it started. Collins opened the batting, and stayed for six hours and 50 minutes, spread over four afternoons. The breaks undoubtedly assisted the young man as he amassed the unprecedented score of 628 not out, out of a total of 836. The next-highest score in the match was 46, the extras conceded by North Town, followed by Whittey’s 42. Collins’ innings was a challenge to the scorer, who is reported as saying it was “628, plus or minus twenty shall we say”. Unlike Stoddart, whose innings was nearly chanceless, Collins was dropped on 80, 100, 140, 556 and 612. When the dispirited opponents batted, Collins took 7 for 33 and 4 for 30 as Clarke’s won by an innings and 688 runs.How could Collins follow this? He continued to play cricket (and rugby, boxing, rackets, cross-country, and swimming) and won a place in the Clifton XI in 1901 and 1902, with some success. He chose to follow an Army career, and that severely limited his sporting opportunities. As a Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers he made 58 and 36 against the Artillery at Lord’s. He went to France when war broke out in 1914, and was killed in action on November 11 of that year.It is hard to imagine that Collins’ record could be broken in first-class cricket. It has stood for over a hundred years, and few modern minor matches are played under the conditions that would permit a batsman to score such a huge number of runs. However, a quadruple century was made by V Malhotra in Under-17 cricket in India in 1989-90, and Tendulkar and Kambli’s huge partnership was made in Bombay school’s cricket. Deepak Chougule, currently in England with the Indian under-19s, made 400* in junior state cricket when we was just 13. If the record is to be broken it will likely be in India, by a young batsman whose name will be as obscure as Collins’ was in his day.

Andy Flower, the Essex batsman and former Zimbabwe captain, has yet to receive a confirmed date for his comeback following the surgery to correct his injured hip.”I’ve had my treatment in Germany to accelerate the healing of the cartilage,” Flower told Essex’s website, “and I’ve had two injections over the last two weeks, with one more to come. At present we can’t put a time on my playing return.”Following the appointment of Peter Moores as England head coach, a promotion from his time as director of the National Academy, there has been speculation that Flower might assume the Academy role.”Having been out of the country I’ve not seen the recent press speculation but at the moment all I am thinking about is playing,” he said. “That said, it is fair to say coaching is an area I am looking into for my future once I retire from playing.”

Kenya Select 147 and 14 for 0 trail Zimbabwe A 234 (Dabengwa 92, Varaiya 3-43) by 73 runs
ScorecardKenya Select turned in a more impressive second-day performance at Harare Sports Club, restricting Zimbabwe A to a first-innings lead of 87.Zimbabwe were bailed out by Keith Dabengwa. He has been the star of the Logan Cup with the ball, the leading wicket-taker by some way, but this time he shone with the bat. His 92 ensured that Zimbabwe, who at one stage were wobbling on 85 for 5, gained what could be a match-winning first-innings lead.Nehemiah Odhiambo and Alfred Luseno bowled really well in the morning session to get rid of the two overnight batsmen. Eric Chauluka added nine to his overnight 18 before being bowled by Odhiambo. Hamilton Masakadza was dismissed fishing outside off stump to Luseno, nicking to wicketkeeper David Obuya for 20.Regis Chakabva never settled, getting off the mark with an edge off Luseno. He scored three more boundaries in his 20 before he fell first ball after lunch, getting a faint edge off Jimmy Kamande.Dabengwa freed his shoulders and smacked a pulled six and a couple of fours as he switched into attacking mode. He put on 63 for the eighth wicket with Blessing Mahwire but with a second first-class ton in sight, he perished to a sloppy slog-sweep off Hiren Varaiya, skying the ball to Elijah Otieno at deep midwicket.Varaiya, who finished with 3 for 43, removed Blessing Mahwire next over and Collins Obuya brought himself into the attack for the first time in the match and trapped Trevor Garwe with his second ball to end the innings.In their second innings, Kenya safely batted out four overs before bad light ended play with three overs remaining.

Ireland have delayed announcing their squad for next month’s quadrangular series to allow Boyd Rankin time to secure his release from Derbyshire.Rankin is currently out of action with a stress fracture of the fibula, but there is hope that he’ll have recovered in time for Ireland’s opening match against Netherlands on July 11. However, he still needs to confirm that Derbyshire will let him go even though the matches will be full one-day internationals.Without Rankin, Ireland’s attack struggled during their weekend double-header against India and South Africa. Roger Whelan and Thinus Fourie shared the new ball, but provided nothing like the threat that Rankin and David Langford-Smith did during the World Cup.Rankin is one of a host of players who haven’t been available for Ireland this week, including Langford-Smith (injury), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex) and Jeremy Bray (opting out).The quadrangular tournament also involves Netherlands, Scotland and West Indies with matches split between Stormont in Belfast and Clontarf in Dublin. Ireland’s squad is now expected to be named on Friday.

Scorecard

Kris Britt celebrated her return to the Australia side with 39 from 36 balls and the winning run-out in a tense one-run victory over New Zealand at Darwin. New Zealand needed three from the final ball when Britt’s throw from the deep caught Sarah Tsukigawa short attempting the two runs that would have forced the second bowl-off between the teams in nine months.New Zealand promised before the opener that this Rose Bowl would be as competitive as the last; although Australia whitewashed them last time every result was close, and it was the same again in this Twenty20 warm-up at Darwin. Unfortunately for them, it was also the same result – just pipped at the post.Nicola Browne, who had earlier starred with the ball, nearly earned a New Zealand triumph and struck two fours as the visitors chased 13 in the last Sarah Andrews over. New Zealand had looked on target to overhaul Australia’s total as the openers, Maria Fahey and Aimee Mason, put on 39 before a steady stream of wickets halted their progress.Amy Satterthwaite, making her international debut, almost guided New Zealand home but was bowled by Emma Sampson for 25 in the 19th over. Sampson claimed 2 for 16 and Lisa Sthalekar took 2 for 15 to keep the pressure on after Australia finished with a disappointing 9 for 108.At 6 for 53 in the 12th over, the home team was in danger of not surviving for 20 overs when Britt and Jodie Purves (16) started the rescue effort. Britt, whose last international match was an ODI nearly three and a half years ago, scored five fours and built a respectable target after Browne’s early fireworks.Browne removed Melissa Bulow, Karen Rolton and Sthalekar within nine balls early in the innings. However, she also conceded eight costly wides in her three-over spell, finishing with 3 for 14. The five-match Rose Bowl ODI series begins at the same venue, Gardens Oval, on Saturday.

Mark Ramprakash has been awarded a testimonial by Surrey for his endeavours both on and off the pitch. The county usually rewards ten years’ service, but Ramprakash has made such an impact that he will be the beneficiary of the honour in only his seventh year with the club.This fact, coupled with his usual modesty, left him an astonished recipient. “It was a complete surprise,” he told Cricinfo. “I’m really, really chuffed and obviously really pleased.”But it was an award that was richly deserved after his prolific form, and tireless dedication to the club in marketing and PR matters. Even during the final stages of Strictly Come Dancing during December, he would regularly give up his own time to present awards for the club.Ramprakash is keenly aware of how players’ form can dip during a benefit or testimonial year – with the extra pressure of events – and has vowed to remain ever-professional. He says he will also use the experience of his benefit year at his former county Middlesex, when he organised a lot of events, to make sure he does not lose his on-pitch focus.”It’s not an easy balance,” he admits, “but it depends on the individual. The players want to make the most of the opportunity, but if you’re one of the main players, you’re still aware of the responsibilities. I will hopefully do some good functions, but not as many as in my benefit. I have to use the time wisely, and rely on my wife [Van] to be understanding. But hopefully I will have some fun with it, too.”I still have things I want to achieve. I’d still love to get to a final and win one. I haven’t given up on that. Success is still important. Personally, I’m aiming for the 100 hundreds. It would be a fantastic thing to achieve before I retire.”Ramprakash has reached 93 first-class centuries to date, and has every chance of succeeding in his latest personal goal, given that he has signed with the county until 2009, and could – like Graeme Hick who has recently extended his contract with Worcestershire at 41 – carry on and on. “Hick has done brilliantly. I’m not saying when I’m going to finish. I’m still enjoying my cricket.”Besides, he’s got no clear plan of what he will do after cricket, another reason he is thrilled with the testimonial. “These are very important years for cricketers, financially. I really don’t know what I will do next – I don’t really have a career; it’s not like I’ve studied.”Surrey have also announced that their head groundsman, Bill Gordon, will be awarded a benefit for his hard work in the last four years in the role at The Oval. Gordon is the three-times winner of the Groundsman of the Year award for both the four-day and one-day categories – and has also won the four-day category in 2004.He has been on the Surrey staff since 1964 and became Head Groundsman in 2003. He will retire at the end of the 2010, having completed 46 years of service to the club. “I am happy to receive this honour,” he said, “as it makes me feel very appreciated.”

Shane Warne is considering applying for a German passport so he can play county cricket as a non-overseas player next year. Warne’s mother was born in Germany and he is planning to investigate the matter further during the English winter.If Warne was to follow the German route he would probably have to lose his Australian passport as dual citizenship is not allowed under German law. Next season counties will be allowed a single overseas player instead of two.”My Mum was German,” Warne told the . “She came over to Australia when she was, I think, four or five. With only one overseas [player] next year, it’s something we’re looking at.””I’ve sat down with Shane and had a long discussion with him and he went away from the meeting quite happy with the idea,” the Hampshire chairman Rod Bransgrove told the . “It is theoretically possible once Shane receives his German passport that we would then register him as a local, and not an import, allowing my county to recruit in effect a second overseas player.”He’s given me and my county board an undertaking that he will pursue the matter over the winter. But rest assured even when he gets it, you’ll never be able to take the Australian out of Shane Warne.”However, a spokesman for Warne told the : “It is a bit of a joke. Shane is very, very, very, happy as an Australian. In all seriousness, I have never had a conversation with him before about becoming a German.”