Sourav Ganguly led from the front with 90 as India swept aside Kenya at the Rose Bowl.

The India captain fell 10 runs short of three figures for the second match in succession but his 124-ball innings helped his side pile up 290-4, sufficient to secure a 98-run victory.

Ganguly shared a 151-run partnership for the second wicket with VVS Laxman before he was bowled by Martin Suji.

Laxman's 99-ball 79 included eight boundaries but he was stumped coming down the wicket to Steve Tikolo's off-spin in the 44th over.

That brought Rahul Dravid in to join Mohammad Kaif, and their partnership of 77 from the last six overs provided an explosive end to an innings that had begun slowly.

Dravid struck the only six of the day over extra cover against the expensive debutant Rageb Aga, whose nine overs of medium pace cost 70 runs.

Dravid finished unbeaten on 30 from 16 balls, while Kaif needed just 29 balls for his 49 not out, which included five boundaries.

Kenya won the toss but in reply to India's total they had no answer to bowlers Irfan Pathan and Harbhajan Singh, meaning the match which took place in front of a crowd of 11,871 veered increasingly in India's favour the longer it went on.

A sensational direct hit from Kaif at extra cover ran out Kennedy Otieno (0) in the fifth over and Pathan produced a devastating six-over spell during which he removed Tikolo and Hitesh Modi, before Harbhajan - who picked up 3-11 - weaved his magic.

A stubborn seventh-wicket stand of 72 in 21 overs between Maurice Ouma (49) and Brijal Patel (40no) helped ensure that Kenya saw out the 50 overs.

Ouma was dismissed in the 45th over, as Kenya crawled to 192 for seven.

12 Sep, 2004