Cricket: Kongonis tie with visiting English side Marylebone ends level
Kongonis Cricket Club's Emmanuel Bundi celebrates bowl out during their friendly match against Marylebone Cricket Club at Nairobi Club on November 4, 2023.
What you need to know:
- The match against Kongonis was the first of the eight that they have lined up during their two-week tour in the country
- It is the third time that the England-based team has visited Kenya, having previously toured the country in 1999 and 2018
- Marcus O’Riordan was named man-of-the-match after he took two wickets in two overs where he conceded 13 runs
Visiting Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) on Saturday shared spoils with Kenya's Kongonis Cricket Club at Nairobi Club ground.
It is the third time that the England-based team has visited Kenya, having previously toured the country in 1999 and 2018.
In previous 2023 overseas tours, MCC men’s squad has travelled to Belize, Austria and Greece while the women’s side visited Germany.
The match against Kongonis was the first of the eight that they have lined up during their two-week tour in the country.
Due to bad weather in Nairobi, the match was reduced from 50 to 20 overs.
MCC, captained by former Kent and Leicestershire all-rounder Darren Stevens won the toss and opted to field first.
Kongoni set a target of 131 runs for the loss of six wickets in 20 overs of their innings. In reply, MCC also hit 131 runs for the loss of six wickets in 20 overs of their innings.
Marcus O’Riordan was named man-of-the-match after he took two wickets in two overs where he conceded 13 runs.
With the bat, O’Riordan delivered 34 runs.
Emmanuel Bundi and Shem Ngoche were among Kongonis’ best players in the match. Bundi took two wickets in four overs where he conceded 25 runs while Ngoche took two wickets in four overs where he conceded 22 runs. Ngoche top-scored with 39 runs.
On Sunday, MCC will face Kenya XI in 50 overs at Ruaraka Sports Club.
The men’s squad is touted as the strongest that the club has toured with this year since it consists of several current and former first-class players.
Stevens boasts over 16,500 first-class runs and nearly 600 first-class wickets in a decorated career spanning more than 25 years. O’Riordan is also a former Kent player who featured in the LV County Championship and Metro Bank One-Day Cup this year.
MCC squad
Arfan Akram (Tour Manager), Adam Ball, Harry Came, Alex Evans, Simon Fernandes, Tushaar Karia, Abhishek Kulkarni, Cillian McDonnell, Charles Page-Morris, Marcus O’Riordan, Darren Stevens, Jack Tector, Finlay Yates, Chris Whittock, Neil Bainton(Umpire).
Fixtures
Sunday 5 November
Kenya XI v MCC
Ruaraka Sports Club Ground, Nairobi – 50 overs
Monday 6 November
EACDT XI v MCC
Jaffery’s Sports Club, Nairobi – 30 overs
Tuesday 7 November
Rift Valley Sports Club v MCC
Rift Valley Sports Club, Nakuru – 20 overs
Friday 10 November
Kenya XI v MCC
Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj Ground, Nairobi – 20 over floodlit match
Saturday 11 November
Kenya XI v MCC
Simba Union Club, Nairobi – 50 overs
Sunday 12 November
Coast Cricket Association v MCC
Mombasa Sports Club, Mombasa – 20 overs
Tuesday 14 November
Kenya XI v MCC
Nairobi Club Ground – 50 overs
