Ireland Cricket team edge out Kenya in tense batting

 　　MOMBASA, Kenya, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Kenya is ruing 1 her missed chances after losing out by ten runs against visiting Ireland in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Inter-continental Cup tournament in Mombasa on Monday.

　　The host had started well but after 40 dismissals in 165.2 overs, Ireland broke the duck in an extremely tense finish, beating Kenya by ten runs.
　　Ireland, who put their security fears aside to take the game to the Kenyans, stood firm to overcome a defiant 2 ninth-wicket stand between Nelson Odhiambo and Hiren Varaiya, who had resurrected the slim Kenya chases from 36 for 8 only to fall agonizingly short.
　　Andrew White caught Hiren Varaiya's flying shot after he was bowled out by Van der Merwe thus ending their tally 3 at 108 all out in 47.1 runs of the second innings.
　　But Kenya will take some solace 4 in good play from Odhiambo, who was making his debut 5 in ICC tournament for his great partnership 6 with Varaiya.
　　Their partnership had seen them raise the home team expectations with 32 runs from 102 balls, which included two fours.
　　But Odhiambo was caught by Ireland captain William Porterfield courtesy of Van der Merwe's superb bowling 7. In the first innings, Ireland were 75 all out in 33.5 over while Kenya were 109 all out in 35.1 over.
　　In the second innings, the Irish side were 152 all out in 48.5 over making it easy for Kenya to chase a target of 118 in their second innings.
　　Ireland's Albert van der Merwe claimed 11 for 68 and George Dockrell 9 for 87 for the visitors, while Varaiya took 12 for 73 for the host.
　　All three achieved career-best match hauls. Shem Ngoche had figures of 4 for 39, taking the spinners' share of wickets to 36 out of 40.
　　The second day began with Ireland on 81 for two in their second innings, ahead by only 47. However, they were set back because Ed Joyce, who was not out on 51 off 56 balls overnight, did not resume his innings.
　　Without his steadiness, Ireland began to slip, losing Alex Cusack and Kevin O'Brien cheaply to Varaiya. They had scraped to 142 for 5 before the rest of the wickets fell for 10 more runs.
　　Joyce had returned at the fall of the eighth wicket but added only three more runs. Varaiya finished with 6 for 51 in the second innings and Ireland were ahead by only 118. Chasing 119, Kenya's openers added 16 before the collapse 8 began.
　　The left and right-arm combination of Van der Merwe and Dockrell spun 9 through the lineup, dismissing the top eight batsmen in single digits 10. At one stage Kenya lost four wickets for no runs and were virtually done for at 36 for 8.
　　The two teams take a break before they play for two ODIs on Saturday and Sunday before they wind up with a two Twenty20 matches next Monday and Wednesday all in Mombasa.
　　The matches are being used as part of 2015 World Cup qualifiers. Kenya need to win the One Day International (ODI) to enhance their chances of qualifying for the 2015 World Cup in New Zealand and Ireland will then head to South Africa after their tour of Kenya for training before travelling to Dubai for the World Cup Twenty 20 qualifiers.
　　Only the top two will qualify for the 20/20 World Cup finals in Sri Lanka in September this year. ICC World Twenty20 is the international championship of T20 cricket.