Essex skipper Nasser Hussain enjoyed one of the greatest days of his career as England kept their World Cup cricket hopes on course with a superb success over Kenya.

On a typically English May day in Canterbury - cold and damp with interruptions for weather conditions - Hussain threw suggestions that he is not really an international class one-day batsman in the faces of his critics with a superb unbeaten 88.

This made him England's top scorer in the nine-wicket success and ensures his place in the starting line-up for the big date at The Oval on Saturday when England take on pre-tournament favourites South Africa.

As he travelled back to the England headquarters after his day of triumph Nasser admitted: "It's been a day to remember for me."

The Essex star was delighted that, despite what most experts suggested, he was in the team for the opening game with Sri Lanka last Friday.

Although only making 14 then, he and Alec Stewart enjoyed a good opening partnership of 50-plus - England's first in one-day games for 11 matches - but still many felt that Nick Knight would be recalled to partner the England captain yesterday.

However, after a 90-minute delay caused by earlier rain, England got underway with Hussain still in the line-up.

Stewart, as against Sri Lanka, won the toss and put the opposition in to bat. With Steve Tikolo scoring 71, Kenya looked like making it tough for England with only one wicket down with 107 on the board.

However, Hussain played his full part in a splendid England fielding display with several TV pundits likening his performance at backward point to the acknowledged world number one fielder Jonty Rhodes.

With Yorkshire's Darren Gough including his 100th international one-day wicket in final figures of 4-34, Kenya were eventually all out for 203 with two balls of their allotted 50 overs to go.

An amazing gaffe by the umpires meant that England waited 52 minutes before starting their reply - due to the late start the interval between innings should have been cut to between 10 and 25 minutes.

However, when England did reply Hussain and Stewart were the masters. They put on 45 for the first wicket before Stewart was bowled for 45. Then Hussain, growing in confidence all the time, and top form

Graeme Hick (61 not out) took the home side to victory with 11 overs to spare.

Hussain hit one massive six and 11 fours in his second best ever international one day knock and agreed: "Obviously I'm delighted that I've been given my chance and that I've been able to take advantage of it.

"That's two out of two - now we badly want to beat South Africa on Saturday."

When rain forced off Stewart's men late in the afternoon there were worries as they hadn't reached the number of overs needed to officially make it a match. That, if it had rained all day Wednesday, could have robbed the home side of victory.

Stewart admitted to being delighted at Hussain's display and said: "I know what a top class player Nasser is.

"He hasn't opened a lot but he's showed what he can do. There's not a lot of difference between number three and opening - you've got to be used to playing the new ball."

Stewart has called for the London sporting public to turn Saturday's match against the Springboks into a rival attraction to the FA Cup final.

He said: "We've played some good cricket so far and want to try and continue that.

"When England do well the crowd does get behind us and I'd like to think that on Saturday there will be 16-17,000 shouting us on."

Top form - Essex skipper Nasser Hussain made 88 not out as England triumphed over Kenya

(Right) Smashing form - Nasser Hussain cracks another four in his unbeaten 88, watched by Kenya wicket-keeper Kennedy Otieno

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