Kenya v Scotland: Scots on top on first day

Mike Stanger reports on a very satisfactory first day's play for Scotland against Kenya in the ICC Intercontinental Cup match in Nairobi...

Scotland got off to a brilliant start on the first day of their four-day ICC Intercontinental Cup match with Kenya, dismissing the hosts for just 91 in the first innings at the Gymkhana Stadium in Nairobi and building a lead of 30 by the close with seven wickets in hand.

Skipper Gordon Drummond was attracted by the condition of the pitch to bowl first when he won the toss, and proved to be an accurate reading of the potential, with not a single over of spin required.

Wickets fell at regular intervals throughout the Kenyan innings, and the pattern was set in the third over when Waters offered no shot to an off-cutter from Dewald Nel.

The only lapse in the field was in the tenth over, when Ewan Chalmers grounded a regulation second-slip catch off Gordon Goudie from Collins Obuya, who went on to top score with 40 before edging another catch to Chalmers, this time off Richie Berrington and gratefully accepted.

Kenya skipper Maurice Ouma offered a simple catch to Ross Lyons at mid-off for Nel’s second wicket, bringing the iconic Steve Tikolo to the crease. But a moment of sheer brilliance put an early end to his innings when a slashed square cut was plucked out of the air with a two-handed flying catch by Berrington off Drummond.

And when Obuya went, the Kenyans were beginning to struggle at 74-4, which became 74-5 at lunch after Patel gave Drummond his second wicket in the 26th over, courtesy of a diving catch by keeper Simon Smith.

Drummond picked up his third when the first of the Odhiambo brothers went for a duck soon after the re-start, three wickets having fallen with the score on 74.

The Kenyan innings finally fell apart with two successive lbw decisions going Berrington’s way, followed by Goudie picking up the last two as the Scots surrounded the Kenyan tail-enders with close fielders, Chalmers and Smith each taking a second catch.

Berrington headed the bowling honours with 3-13, Drummond close behind with 3-18 - both setting personal bests in first-class matches - while the two openers finished with 2-28 (Nel) and 2-30 (Goudie).

Scotland’s openers, Kyle Coetzer and Dougie Lockhart, got off to a quick start thanks to the Durham pro’s two boundaries, before he played over the top of a yorker from Nehemiah Odhiambo, out for just 12 with the score on 22.

Lockhart was in no hurry, and allowed Qasim Sheikh (pictured) to dash to 20 in jig time before he (Lockhart) had ventured beyond five! Their partnership of 52 foundered when Lockhart came well forward for another defensive shot and was given out lbw for 22 from 64 balls.

Ewan Chalmers joined Sheikh to add another 32 runs together, securing the six points on offer for first-innings lead. On the way, Sheikh got away with a rare loose shot, trying to pull a rank long hop but skying it, fortunately, into the gap between mid-on and mid-off. But, after adding seven to his total from one delivery, Chalmers hung his bat out to a lifter from Odhiambo, caught at second slip for 14, the score 106 for three.

That brought Richie Berrington to the middle, content to watch as Sheikh drove his way to a fine half-century with his ninth boundary, adding another four before the close to leave him unbeaten on 56, Berrington 7*.

These two need to start again from scratch on Day 2, getting their heads down for a long hard day at the crease, bearing in mind that the pitch offered seam bowlers plenty of assistance during the early overs of the first day.

For Scotland, nothing less than maximum points from this Intercontinental Cup game will do. It’s too good an opportunity to miss, with the Netherlands, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe still to play later in the year.

Day 1 Scores: Kenya 91 all out (Obuya 40, Berrington 3-13, Drummond 3-18); Scotland 121-3 (Sheikh 56*)

Day 1 Commentary

Pictures courtesy of the ICC