Maurice Odumbe (83) mauled the Indian attack as he led the Kenyan charge, to ensure that they do not fall behind Bangladesh's net run rate, in the sixth and final league match of the Coca Cola Cup triangular tournament at the Captain Roop Singh stadium here this evening.

Opener Ravindu Shah (70) and left-handed Hitesh Modi (51) chipped in with half-tons to help Kenya achieve their target.

Odumbe became Kenya's top scorer against India surpassing Steve Tikolo, who had notched up 77 in the earlier clash at Bangalore. Playing in his 19th international, Odumbe plundered five sixes and two fours in bettering his individual highest and led his team to its highest total against the hosts.

Odumbe, who scored 47 against India in the Bangaloretie, continued from where he had left off there and punished the Indian bowling. Debutant off spinner Nikhil Chopra was at the receiving end when Odumbe struck three consecutive sixes in the 46th over of the innings, which cost India 24 runs.

Hitesh Modi gave him good support notching up a useful 51 which contained three fours and a six, for his third half-ton of the tournament. Chopra, whose 10 overs cost 65 runs, earned a consolation when Rahul Dravid took a catch at mid-wicket to send Modi back to the pavilion.

Odumbe and Modi shared an exact 100-run fourth wicket partnership before the latter made his exit. Odumbe went on to add another 40 runs in association with Alpesh Vadher when Navjot Sidhu caught him off Kumble, but by then, he had put Kenya within striking distance of the 250-mark.

Scoreboard
Kenya: Ravindu Shah c & b Kumble 70, Kennedy Otieno c Kumble b Prasad 8, Steve Tikolo run out 21, Maurice Odumbe c Sidhu b Kumble 83, Hitesh Modi c Dravid b Chopra 51, Alpesh Vadher notout 13, Thomas Odoyo not out 11; Extras (lb4, w4) 8.
Total (for five wickets, 50 overs) 265.
Fall of wickets: 1-26, 2-93, 3-109, 4-209, 5-249.
Bowling: Venkatesh Prasad 6-1-28-1, Robin Singh 5-1-18-0, Nilesh Kulkarni 10-0-60-0, Sachin Tendulkar 5-0-34-0, Anil Kumble 8-2-27-2, Nikhil Chopra 10-1-65-1, Rahul Dravid 6-0-29-0.

Defeat stares India
India were 163 for the loss of eight wickets after 42 overs with Anil Kumble and Venkatesh Prasad at the crease.

Raul included
Orissa allrounder Sanjay Raul, who was not in the 14 FOR any of the league matches, was included in the Indian-14 for the final of the Coca Cola Cup triangular series to be held at Eden Gardens in Calcutta on May 31.

The team, which was selected at Gwalior, was announced from Baroda by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jaywant Lele.

Team: Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly, Mohammed Azharuddin (captain), Ajay Jadeja, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, Robin Singh, Nayan Mongia(wk), Anil Kumble, Ajit Agarkar, B K Venkatesh Prasad, Rahul Sanghvi, Gagan Khoda, Harbhajan Singh and Sanjay Raul.