Kenya take the honours in drawn game

Kenya 502 (Shah 247, Tikolo 80, Odumbe 52, Anjum 4-123) and 286 (Odumbe 106, Modi 95, Junaid 4-82, Mansoor 4-98) drew with Pakistan A 375 (Misbah 151, Butt 104) and 55 for 2
Scorecard

Kenya achieved an honourable draw in their four-day game against Pakistan A in Nairobi. Led by Ravindu Shah's magnificent 247, Kenya mounted 502 in their first innings and then restricted Pakistan A to 375, achieving a first-innings lead of 127. Kenya added to that tally by scoring 286 in their second innings, but by then, there was little time for their bowlers to take ten wickets and win them the match.

For the second time in two games, Ravindu Shah had energised his team with a big hundred. In the first match, Kenya could manage only 371, but in the second, his massive 247 took them to beyond 500. Pakistan A's reply was built around Misbah-ul-Haq's 151 and Salman Butt's 104. No other batsman went past 22, though, ensuring that Kenya ended up with a sizeable first-innings lead.

The Pakistanis then reduced Kenya to 47 for 4 in their second innings, but all hopes of a fightback were scotched by Maurice Odumbe (106) and Hitesh Modi (95), who added 170 for the fifth wicket. Pakistan A only had 11 overs to chase a target of 414, and they ended on 55 for 2.

It was a much-improved performance from the Kenyans, whose batting and bowling went up a gear in this game. It was a personal victory for Odumbe, who had come under so much scrutiny before the game. And this showing would give the team more confidence for its clashes in the near future: the tri-series with India A and Pakistan A later this month, and then the Champions Trophy in September.