NAIROBI, Sept 5: Australia were taken to the last over of the match before beating Kenya by five wickets in a triangular tournament Thursday.
All-rounder Shane Watson hit an unbeaten 77, including two sixes, to secure victory with five balls to spare after Kenya had scored a spirited 204 for nine.
Watson stepped up after Australia lost Jimmy Maher and Michael Bevan, both to pace bowler Thomas Odoyo, in the space of three runs to leave them on 27 for two.
Watson, though, put on 79 with Andrew Symonds for the fourth wicket to secure the result.
After winning the toss Kenya put on a spirited performance, Maurice Odumbe scoring a 54-ball 55 to claim the man-of-the-match award. He hit seven fours.
Kenya lost early wickets in their innings, with David Obuya going in the second over and they slumped to 46 for three. Before Steve Tikolo and Brijal Patel stabilised innings with a fifth-wicket partnership of 65. Patel made 42, with six fours and one six, before he was run out.
Scoreboard
KENYA:
K.O. Obuya lbw b Watson 21
D.O. Obuya b Bichel 0
J.K. Kamande b Lee 5
B. Patel run out 42
S.O. Tikolo lbw b Warne 35
T.M. Odoyo c Maher b Hauritz 11
M.O. Odumbe c Hayden b Hauritz 55
C.O. Obuya c Symonds b Hauritz 9
P.J. Ongondo c Hauritz b Hauritz 2
M.A. Suji not out 7
L.N. Onyango not out 1
EXTRAS (LB-6, W-8, NB-2) 16
TOTAL (for nine wkts, 50 overs) 204
FALL OF WKTS: 1-1, 2-32, 3-46, 4-111, 5-119, 6-161, 7-193, 8-195, 9-202.
BOWLING: Lee 7-2-19-1; Bichel 7-1-22-1; Watson 9-1-38-1; Symonds 8-0-33-0; Warne 9-0-47-1; Hauritz 10-0-39-4.
AUSTRALIA:
J.P. Maher c Tikolo b Odoyo 16
A.C. Gilchrist c Angara b C. Obuya 41
M.G. Bevan c D. Obuya b Odoyo 0
S.R. Watson not out 77
A. Symonds run out 43
S.K. Warne run out 15
B. Lee not out 6
EXTRAS (LB-1, W-4, NB-2) 7
TOTAL (for five wkts, 49.1 overs) 205
FALL OF WKTS: 1-24, 2-27, 3-83, 4-162, 5-185.
DID NOT BAT: M.L. Hayden, D.R. Martyn, N.M. Hauritz, A.J. Bichel.
BOWLING: Suji 10-1-22-0; Odoyo 9.1-0-38-2; Ongondo 6-0-44-0; Odumbe 10-1-28-0; C.O. Obuya 10-1-50-1; Kamande 4-0-22-0.
UMPIRES: Nadeem Ghauri (Pakistan) and R.B. Tiffin (Zimbabwe).
TV UMPIRE: Asad Rauf.
MATCH REFEREE: M.J. Procter (South Africa).—Reuters