Kenya v Sri Lanka

At Nairobi, February 24, 2003. Kenya won by 53 runs. Toss: Sri Lanka.

A World Cup bloated by too many one-sided games needed this like a desert explorer needs a cold beer. Kenya's shock victory was memorable enough, but the style, all wide-grinning, grassy-kneed enthusiasm, was unforgettable: Kenya chased like lion cubs, backed up in gangs and jigged after every wicket. Sri Lanka, by contrast, simply moped. "The worst game of my career," admitted Jayasuriya. Violent hitting by Otieno helped Kenya to 46 for one in the seventh over but they never really hit the balance between big shots and blocking, especially mid-innings, when Muralitharan found drift and turn. In reply to 210, Sri Lanka almost sleepwalked to defeat. Only when they lost their fifth wicket for 105 in the 28th over did they finally seem to wake to their predicament. And when de Silva went soon afterwards, it was too late to do much about it. He at least had stuck around for a while, and of five who fell to Obuya's accurate but unthreatening leg-spin, only he could plead not guilty. Kenya's lap of honour ended up more a half-marathon.

Man of the Match: C. O. Obuya. Attendance: 8,218.