Kenya's Nehemiah Odhiambo bowling during the Cricket World Cup warm up match against Netherlands in Trelawny, Jamaica yesterday. (AP)

DANIEL TOWN, Jamaica – Steve Tikolo underlined his value to his side with a strong all-round performance that propelled Kenya to a nine-run victory over The Netherlands on Thursday in their Cricket World Cup 2007
warm-up match.

The 35-year-old Tikolo, the Kenya captain, rescued his side with a critical half-century that allowed them to reach 274 for five on a hard, true Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium pitch under sunny to overcast skies.

He then snared five wickets for 48 runs from 10 overs to trigger a batting collapse, as The Netherlands were restricted to 265 for nine in their 50 overs in easily the most compelling of the warm-up games
so far.

After cruising to 215 for three in the 44th over, the lack of depth in The Netherlands' batting was cruelly exposed, when six wickets tumbled for 49 runs in the space of 36 balls.

Tikolo scalped four of those wickets with clever variations of his off-spin to leave The Netherlands nursing a bruised confidence, after it looked like they were on course
for victory.

Darron Reekers hit seven boundaries in the top score of 75 from 105 balls and set up the Dutch nicely in an opening stand of 142 with Bas Zuiderent, whose 65 off 91 balls included five fours and one six.

Tikolo again proved his worth, when he made the breakthrough. He had Reekers caught at backward point slicing a drive in the
30th over.

Two wickets in the space of six balls rocked The Netherlands. Peter Ongondo had Zuiderent caught at deep mid-wicket in the 34th over, and next over, Alex Kervezee was run out for a duck, when he failed to beat Collins Obuya's direct hit at the bowler's end.

The Netherlands were 169 for three, and Ryan ten Doeschate, one of their key performers, batted with aplomb to score 50 off 46 balls which included two fours and one six.

He and Daan van Bunge put on 46 for the fourth wicket, and The Netherlands still seemed to have things in hand, when they lost their heads, the way, and the match. (AP)