Zimbabwe’s travails continued when Dion Ebrahim, down the wicket to Obuya, managed no semblance of a shot to present Otieno, 30 yesterday, with his fourth gift of the innings as he pulled off a smart stumping.

Flower took advantage of a rare loose ball from Obuya, going to his 50 with a cut to the backward point rope. But he lost Andy Blignaut in farcical circumstances, changing his mind after calling for a sharp single to mid-wicket. Having second thoughts after the call, Flower turned tail back to his crease, narrowly beating the speechless Blignaut, who was summarily run out by Otieno at the bowler’s end.

Heath Streak lasted just four balls before he received a perfect leg spinner from Obuya, and his forward push was beautifully held just inches off the ground by Ravindu Shah at slip. When Flower was bowled off his thigh pad trying to work Odoyo to leg, Zimbabwe’s plight was sorry indeed.

Douglas Marillier and Henry Olonga profited with consecutive drives off Obuya before the latter, checking a drive at Steve Tikolo, was brilliantly caught by a diving Odumbe at mid-wicket. Marillier was bowled hitting across the line at Tikolo, and Kenya were halfway to the last four.

The Kenyan opening bowlers, while lacking any real pace, found enough movement to ensure a measure of uncertainty in the batsmen on a Goodyear Park pitch of limited purchase, and Zimbabwe struggled to find an answer.

Craig Wishart was the first to go in the third over, caught behind by Kennedy Otieno driving at Martin Suji. Alistair Campbell had a let-off in the sixth, when he drove loosely at Thomas Odoyo for Collins Obuya to spill a straightforward chance at backward point.

It wasn’t expensive. Campbell then missed a ball from Suji that would have hit his middle and leg stumps, for umpire Aleem Dar to uphold the confident appeal.

Andy Flower, who had announced his international retirement before this match, made a circumspect start, punctuated by boundaries either side of wicket in the sixth and seventh overs. His brother Grant joined him on Campbell’s departure, but after making just seven he tried to cut a ball from Suji that was too close for the shot, providing another thin edge for the keeper.

The first bowling change came in the 14th over as Odoyo made way for Peter Ongondo, whose first three overs cost just one run. Suji was rested with the excellent figures of three for 19 off eight, and the introduction of leg-spin paid early dividends as Tatenda Taibu, promoted to number five, edged Collins Obuya to Otieno as he tried to fend a turning ball to third man.

Dion Ebrahim got under way with a boundary off Ongondo, but at the halfway stage Zimbabwe still had plenty to do to set Kenya a stiff challenge.

The match is of vital importance to both sides, as a win will ensure a semi-final place for Kenya, while Zimbabwe need victory to maintain their hopes of a place in the last four.

The weather is warm and sunny, and the pitch looks hard and dry. Kenya have included left-arm spinner Asif Karim, and Alistair Campbell is opening the innings for Zimbabwe after being drafted into the squad to replace the injured Mark Vermeulen.

Zimbabwe have also recalled Henry Olonga, who was dropped after their first match against Namibia, when he and Andy Flower began a protest against human rights abuses in Zimbabwe by wearing black armbands.

Kenya team: +KO Otieno, RD Shah, *SO Tikolo, TM Odoyo, MO Odumbe, HS Modi, CO Obuya, AO Suji, MA Suji, PJ Ongondo, AY Karim.

Zimbabwe team: ADR Campbell, CB Wishart, A Flower, GW Flower, DD Ebrahim, +T Taibu, AM Blignaut, *HH Streak, DA Marillier, DT Hondo, HK Olonga.