That Kenyan batsman have established as many as three one-day partnership records? (03 October 2001)

For a team that does not possess any big names it is quite an achievement. Onto the partnerships then.

The opening game of the 1997 President's Cup between Kenya and Bangladesh at Nairobi saw two home team batsmen make an entry into the record books. Batting first, openers - Deepak Chudasama and Kennedy Otieno - put on 225 runs for the first wicket as Kenya piled on a massive 347 for five. The partnership overhauled the previous highest for the opening wicket, 212 between Australian stalwarts Geoff Marsh and David Boon. The same series saw Thomas Odoyo and Anthony Suji put on a record 119 runs for the seventh wicket against Zimbabwe. This erased the previous best of 115.

The two records were though subsequently overhauled. Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly now hold the first wicket partnership after putting on 252 against Sri Lanka at Colombo in 1998. The seventh wicket partnership meanwhile stands in the name of Pakistan's Yousuf Youhana and Rashid Latif, who put on 124 against Australia in June 2001.

There is though still one one-day partnership record that stands in the name of Kenyan batsmen. Maurice Odumbe (82) and Alpesh Vadher (73 not out) put on a world-record 161 runs for the sixth wicket against Sri Lanka in the 1999 World Cup. Their efforts, which came after their side were reduced to 52 for five at one stage, helped Kenya post their highest score of the tournament. The Africans though lost the match despite which their opponents, the defending champions, were out of the tournament.

For more details on all the above facts check out [ StatsGuru ]

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