Kenyans take the applauds on an Australian night

They recovered to 174 for eight but Adam Gilchrist’s brutal 43-ball 67 seemed to have set Australia on course to an easy win in the day-night encounter.

Left-armer Karim, however, the oldest player left in the tournament and who had retired after the 1999 World Cup before being asked back, then took three wickets in two overs to reduce Ricky Ponting’s side to 117 for five.

Australia skipper Ricky Ponting, Karim’s first victim, said a grin: “It certainly wasn’t part of the plan. They did fight back very well.”

Karim, who has also played tennis for Kenya, finished with three for seven from 8.2 overs and it took some solid batting from Andrew Symonds (33 not out) to end Kenya’s dream of an upset at Kingsmead, the world champions winning with 18.2 overs in hand.

The Super Six game had not great meaning, with both sides already qualified for the semi-finals, Australia playing Sri Lanka in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday and Kenya taking on India.

The Kenyans’ spirited performance, however, served as excellent preparation for Thursday’s semi at the same venue.

The chances of the game lasting until the floodlights came on looked remote when Lee took his hat-trick, emulating Sri Lankan Chaminda Vaas’ feat earlier in the tournament.

It was the 17th hat-trick in one-day internationals and the fourth in World Cups, after Chetan Sharma of India, Pakistan’s Saqlain Mushtaq and Vaas.

Continuing the lethal form that brought him five wickets for three runs in 15 balls at the end of the last match against New Zealand, Lee struck with the last three balls of his second over.

“He’s bowling very well and he got the rewards which he probably hasn’t got in the other games,” Ponting added.

First Lee bowled Kennedy Otieno with a sharply rising ball that cannoned into the stumps off the batsman’s left elbow and left Otieno writhing on the ground in agony. X-rays revealed no fracture and he is expected to be fit by Thursday.

Lee’s second wicket was more orthodox, Brijal Patel edging a forward push to Ponting at second slip, then Lee found the perfect yorker to bowl David Obuya.

Kenya recovered thanks to captain Steve Tikolo (51), opener Ravindu Shah (46) and middle order batsman Hitesh Modi (39 not out). Tikolo and Shah added 79 for the fourth wicket.

Kenya then subsided from 131 for four to 144 for eight before a late flurry. (Reuters)