Kenya's Steve Tikolo and Tony Suji celebrate a century stand against the Netherlands at the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium yesterday. Tikolo and Suji put on 104 for the fourth wicket. - dellmar

LeVaughn Flynn, Staff Reporter

Netherlands and Kenya completed their warm-up games yesterday satisfied that they have got sufficient practice to start the ICC Cricket World Cup confidently.

Kenya beat the Netherlands by nine runs at the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium, scoring 274-8 then holding the Dutch to 265-9.

Kenya captain Steven Tikolo said he was satisfied with his team's performance as they prepare to face New Zealand, Canada and England in Group C.

"We are trying to get ready for the main event and this game helped to do that," said Tikolo who took 5-48 and scored 51. "We wanted the guys to go out and play and try and claim a place in the main eleven."

Vice-captain Thomas Odoyo top-scored for Kenya with 73. He made 24 off the final over, which included three sixes and a four, before looping a Luuk van Troost delivery to Tim de Leede.

Tikolo said he was also happy with the batting and bowling, but their fielding was questionable. Kenya had no fewer than three dropped catches in the field. However, Tikolo played it down.

"These things happen in the game at times but we will go and work on that, so it is not a concern for me," he said.

The Netherlands looked much better as they managed to make 265 compared to 118 all out against India on Tuesday. Bas Zuiderent and Darron Reekers had a 141-run opening partnership as they frustrated Kenya's bowlers. Reekers was Tikolo's first victim when he was dismissed with a top score of 75.

Zuiderent made 65, Ryan ten Doeschate contributed 50 and Peter Borren made 22, which included three sixes, for a much more attractive 'runs column' on the score sheet.

"We should have won the game because we chased very well," said Netherlands captain van Troost, who watched his team lose its last four wickets for six runs.

Disastrous lower-order batting aside, the captain said the practice games served their purpose.

"These two warm-up games were very good for us. We've seen who is in form and who is out of form so we have to make some tough decisions in the coming week for the South Africa match (next Friday)," commented van Troost.

He added: "The opening batsmen batted really well today (yesterday) and we will bring the positives from this game into the South Africa game."

Van Troost was also upbeat about his bowling which he thought had improved and praised Daan van Bunge (3-41) and Mark Jonkman (2-26), the latter rebounding nicely after bowling six no balls in his first over against India and conceded 36 runs for no wicket.

Along with South Africa, the Netherlands play Australia and Scotland in Group A.