New Zealand recorded a comprehensive 10-wicket victory over Kenya in their first group match of the ICC World Cup 2011 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Earlier in the day, Kenya were dismissed for a paltry 69 runs, their lowest-ever ODI and World Cup score.
Kenyan captain Jimmy Kamande chose to bat after winning the toss. However, they did not have a decent start as Alex Obanda (6) was trapped in front by Tim Southee. The innings looked like getting back on track when Seren Waters (16) and Collins Obuya (14) added 26 runs for the second wicket before Hamish Bennett struck for the Kiwis. Within a span of nine deliveries, Bennett struck four times to remove reduce Kenya to 49/5 in the 16th over.
Kenyan veteran, Steve Tikolo, playing in his last World Cup scored just two runs before succumbing to Bennett’s yorker. Only Rakep Patel managed to get into two-digit score and remained unbeaten on 16 runs while the rest of the batsmen fell to the Kiwi pacers without a fight. The Kiwi bowlers gave away 10 runs in extras.
Hamish Bennett was the hero with the ball for the Kiwis who took four wickets for 16 runs while Tim Southee picked up three wickets for 13 runs and Jacob Oram chipped in with three wickets for just two runs. Martin Guptill and Brendon McCullum scored the required runs in just eight overs. Guptill continued his decent form with a quick 39 runs that included five fours and two sixes while McCullum hit a 17-ball 26 runs.
The victory is the sixth largest margin of victory by balls remaining, with still 252 balls still remaining. The entire game lasted for only 32 overs and this is also the first time that New Zealand have managed to dismiss their opponents for less than 100 runs. Hamish Bennett was declared the player of the match for his four-wicket haul.