New ball bowlers Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie tore through the Kenya top order with three wickets apiece to set up an emphatic eight-wicket win for Australia in the fourth match of the PSO tri-nation tournament here at the Nairobi Gymkhana today. Kenya, who slumped to 17 for six at one stage, were eventually routed for 84, their lowest ever one-day total. McGrath took three for eight off eight overs. Gillespie followed up his career-best five-wicket haul against Pakistan last Friday with three for 40 off 10 overs. Brijal Patel, in his first match of the series, topscored with 28 as the lower order managed to mount some resistance. But Australia made light work of the target, racing to 85 for two off 17 overs to secure a berth in the final against Pakistan. It was Kenya’s third successive loss. Matthew Hayden, a century-maker against Pakistan in Australia’s first match, continued his rich vein of form with an assured, unbeaten 40 off 49 balls. The powerful left-hander hit five fours and a six. Adam Gilchrist swatted 22 off 18 balls with five boundaries before he fell to the persevering Martin Suji. Joseph Angara claimed the other wicket, Jimmy Maher (5) edging a catch to wicket-keeper David Obuya. Michael Bevan hit three fours in an undefeated 15 off 18 balls at the end. SCOREBOARD Kenya: K.Otieno c Hayden b Gillespie 10, D Obuya b McGrath 0, J Kamande c Gilchrist b McGrath 1, S Tikolo c Warne b Gillespie 4, T Odoyo c Bevan b McGrath 0, M Odumbe lbw Gillespie 0, B Patel st Gilchrist b Warne 28, T Suji not out 8, C Obuya c Gilchrist b Watson 13, M Suji b Lee 1, J Angara b Watson 1; Extras (lb-4, w-5, nb-9): 18 Total (All out, in 35.3 overs): 84 Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-12, 3-13, 4-17, 5-17, 6-17, 7-53, 8-62, 9-83 Bowling: McGrath 8-5-8-3, Gillespie 10-2-40-3, Lee 7-1-15-1, Watson 7.3-2-13-2, Warne 3-0-4-1 Australia: A Gilchrist lbw Martin Suji 22, M Hayden not out 40, J Maher c D Obuya b Angara 5, M Bevan not out 15; Extras (w-3): 3 Total (For 2 wkts, in 17 overs): 85 Fall of wickets: 1-38, 2-60 Bowling: Martin Suji 8-1-25-1, Angara 7-1-46-1, Kamande 1-0-4-0, C.Obuya 1-0-10-0 Earlier, the result was virtually sealed when McGrath and Gillespie left the Kenyan innings in ruins after an hour’s play. McGrath, named man-of-the-match, started the procession in the third over when he knocked back the off stump of make-shift opener David Obuya (0). Gillespie joined in with the prized wicket of Kennedy Obuya (10), Kenya’s best batsman of the series. Matthew Hayden’s brilliant diving catch at fourth slip made up for a miss in the same position off the previous delivery. McGrath claimed Jimmy Kamande (1) caught behind and Thomas Odoyo (0) to a catch to mid-on, while Gillespie sent back captain Steve Tikolo (4) and Maurice Odumbe (0). Tikolo edged to first slip and Odumbe was late on an inswinger to be trapped leg before. At 17 for six, Kenya were in danger of eclipsing Zimbabwe’s 38 against Sri Lanka at Colombo in 2001 as the lowest ever one-day total. But Patel rallied with the lower order to avoid that embarrassment. The 24-year-old right-hander, forced into the team because of injuries to opener Ravindu Shah and Hitesh Modi, looked the most accomplished of the batsmen against the rampaging Aussie attack. He added 36 runs for the seventh wicket with both Tony Suji and Collins Obuya. Suji was forced to retire hurt after being pinned on the helmet by a McGrath bouncer but returned to finish eight not out.
