Ten Doeschate leads the Netherlands to dramatic win

Colombo, Feb 15 (PTI) Ryan ten Doeschate produced a gemof an innings as the Netherlands kicked off their build-up tothe World Cup with an improbable two-wicket win over Kenya ina warm-up match here today.

Chasing a competitive 264 for victory, the Netherlandswere in all sorts of trouble at 130 for seven in the 30thover.

But ten Doeschate (98 off 92 balls) had other ideas ashe put on a match-winning 82-run partnership for the eighthwicket with Atse Buurman (29 off 46 balls), and then addedanother 62 runs with Mudassar Bukhari to lead his team to anincredible victory from a hopeless position.

Ten Doeschate''s innings spoilt Seren Waters'' day -- theKenyan centurion, who played through the innings to take histeam to a solid total after the Africans won the toss anddecided to bat first at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground here.

After Waters (unbeaten 126 off 150 balls) set the tonefor the 2003 semi-finalists, veteran Steve Tikolo made up forhis flop show with the bat, picking up three wickets to putthe Netherlands on to the backfoot.

But neither Tikolo nor any other Kenyan bowlers coulddislodge ten Doeschate.

The 30-year-old right-hander took charge after AlexeiKervezee set it up for the Dutch with a counter-attacking 49off just 33 deliveries. Kervezee''s innings was laced with tenboundaries.

A flurry of wickets left the Netherlands in a spot ofbother but ten Doeschate was at ease, finding the ropes atregular intervals to keep his team in the hunt.

All, however, seemed lost after Tom de Grooth fell toTikolo. But then began the dramatic recovery, which should pepup the Dutchmen ahead of the finals, and give Kenya enoughreasons to worry.

Earlier, Kenya were dealt an early blow when Alex Obandafell to Berend Westdijk in the fifth over.

But Waters, in the company of David Obuya, did well toensure that Kenya don''t suffer more casualty until tenDoeschate put the brakes on what was turning out to be a veryuseful partnership, by dismissing Obuya in the 18th over.

That brought Tikolo -- the lone surviving member from the1996 World Cup squad -- to the crease, but much to thedisappointment of the Africans, the experienced right-handerperished in a jiffy.

Maurice Ouma, too, couldn''t do much falling for 20, butWaters found an able ally in Rakep Patel, who contributed withan invaluable 64 off 78 balls with the help of sevenboundaries.

During their stay at the crease, the two put on 129 runsfor the fifth wicket in little less than 18 overs.

Brief scores:

Kenya: 263 for 5 in 50 overs (Seren Waters not out 126,Rakep Patel 64; Ryan ten Doeschate 2/47).

Netherlands: 264 for 8 in 49.1 overs (Ryan ten Doeschatenot out 98, Alexei Kervezee 49; Steve Tikolo 4/39).