BBC SPORT | Cricket | Australia leave it late

Kenya Tri-series, 6th ODI: Kenya 204-9 (50 overs) lost to Australia 205-5 (49.1 overs) by five wickets

Australia scraped home in the final over against Kenya to retain their unbeaten record and deny the hosts their first win of the tournament.

Chasing a modest 205 for victory after Kenya won the toss and elected to bat, the World Cup holders meandered along for the most part and were still 19 runs short with 14 balls left.

But Shane Watson, elevated to number four, and Brett Lee both hit sixes in the 49th over before the five-wicket win was sealed with five balls to spare.

Adam Gilchrist
Gilchrist was quiet by his standards

But man-of-the-match honours went to Maurice Odumbe, who dominated Australia's attack to hit 55 off 56 balls.

All-rounder Watson advertised his good form with the bat ahead of Saturday's final against Pakistan, hitting an unbeaten 77 off 113 balls.

Thomas Odoyo had Australia in early trouble, removing Jimmy Maher and Michael Bevan as the visitors stumbled to 27 for two.

Photo Gallery: See this story in pictures

An unusually sedate Adam Gilchrist (41 off 81 balls) then fell to Collins Obuya to leave Australia uncertainly placed on 83 for three in the 26th over.

But Andrew Symonds (43) and Watson then put Australia on the path to victory with a 79-run stand for the fourth wicket.

Best showing

Kenya earlier produced their best showing with the bat, seeing out their 50 overs in an innings highlighted by Odumbe's excellence.

Australia, who were without skipper Ricky Ponting, Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie, were best served by Nathan Hauritz, who took four for 39.

Kenya were in some difficulty on 46 for three before Brijal Patel (42 off 73 balls) and captain Steve Tikolo (35 off 49) added 65 runs for the fourth wicket.

Both fell in swift succession but Odumbe galvanised the middle order, striking seven boundaries in a run-a-ball innings that oozed confidence.

Matt Hayden caught him in the 48th over off the bowling of Hauritz, who took three wickets late on to stifle the run-rate.

Australia: A C Gilchrist (Capt, Wkt), M L Hayden, D R Martyn, J P Maher, M G Bevan, S R Watson, S K Warne, B Lee, N M Hauritz, A Symonds, A J Bichel.

Kenya: S O Tikolo (Capt), K O Otieno, B J Patel, T M Odoyo, M O Odumbe, J K Kamande, D O Obuya, C O Obuya (Wkt), L N Onyango, M A Suji, P J Ongondo.

Umpires: Nadeem Ghauri and R B Tiffin


	Links to more Cricket stories