1-1 for both Canada and Kenya

Well in the 2003 world cup played at home (as far as Kenya are considered), Kenya managed to beat Canada by 4 wickets when Canada managed to pile up just 197 on board which a little too much for Kenya who lost 6 wickets in between. Now, yesterday, the match was more or less similar to what happened in 2003 but at the same time opposite as well. Here, Kenya made 198 runs on the board with Canada chasing down the target successfully by 5 wickets. Back then, that game proved to be the platform for Kenya to make it to the super-sixes.

But now, after losing miserably to Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia and New Zealand, the chances of Canada stand canceled in making it to the quarter-finals. And more than that, Kenya were aided by Sri Lanka who intentionally lost the game against Kenya when they had wins against New Zealand and West Indies and South Africa losing to Wet Indies and New Zealand to stand a tough chance to the second round. Even West Indies after losing to New Zealand were forced to share points with Bangladesh after that match was washed-out by rain. Kenya had wins against New Zealand and Canada which aided their advancement.

It is rare to see replica matches like this. Coming to the match, something better was expected off Kenya and not a whitewash like it has been the case so far. Kenya have lost all their games till date against New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Australia. Of course, the result is no different regarding Canada who have also lost to the aforementioned teams. But, in case a team can go home victory, it has to be against Kenya & Zimbabwe for Canada and Canada & Zimbabwe for Kenya. Kenya were a tough team some two world cups down the lane with victories against Bangladesh and Canada.

They had almost torn apart Australia and India in the day-night encounter in the 2003 world cups with both teams making a comeback later in their innings. Of course, a day-night encounter in that competition was a real tough one and it was a decent toss to win for Kenya. Added to that, Kenya were one of the co-hosts of that world cup which also played its part to a greater extent. Still, Kenya should have won this game because, they have been playing in world cups since 1996 and this is their 5^th appearance while for Canada it is their 3^rd appearance in world cups.

Malinga fond of Africans

Well yesterday another similar feat happened to Lasith Malinga when he scalped the tournament's second hat-trick after Kemer Roach had the first against Netherlands a couple of days back. This was Lasith Malinga's second hat-trick in world cup cricket when last time in 2007 he had a similar feat against South Africa in the super-eights of the world cup. In fact, Lasith Malinga's feat was a much bigger one then, for it was against a much better outfit and secondly it was a four-ball four-wicket one which is unparalleled even today. Unfortunately, Malinga's feat came a bit too late and Sri Lanka had to end up on the losing side.

South Africa was cruising towards the target with five wickets in hand with plenty of overs left. But, suddenly in came the slinger who produced the most devastating spell of the world cup that even the tournament's highest wicket-taker Glenn McGrath would have been jealous about. But, with very little work to do, the South African tail-end batsman did what was expected off him and saw his team through. That was Sri Lanka's first defeat in that world cup and the only team other than Australia who beat them in that world cup. Then onwards Sri Lanka beat New Zealand twice, West Indies and England.

This was the second African team that Malinga took a hat-trick but this would hardly come in for much applause considering the team against which he achieved the feat. Malinga's feat was just one step better than Roach's for he had the 7^th, 8^th and the 9^th batsmen under his name unlike Roach who ripped the last three batsmen from Holland. There has been no bowler in cricket's history to have taken two hat-tricks in world cups and so also there is no other bowlers to have taken four wickets in four balls in world cups (with my knowledge being restricted only to world cups at the moment).

However, as was the case with Kemar Roach's feat, the one with Lasith Malinga can hardly be applauded for once again, it was a non-test playing team that Malinga was playing against. Had the hat-trick been against some Pakistan or Australia, the feat could have been relished proudly. The match once again reminded Sri Lanka's world record total of 398 against Kenya at Kandy in the 1996 world cup that Sri Lanka won. Looking at the scorecard, if not for two Kenyan players who scored half centuries, not other player could manage even a ten. There was Steve Tikolo, who has been playing cricket since 1996.