The 21-year-old Obuya took five for 24 in 10 overs, the ninth best bowling figures in tournament history, as Kenya won the Group B encounter by 53 runs to give the home team a real chance of making the Super Six stage.

The Kenyan players, who had made a less-than-convincing 210 for nine after being asked to bat, leapt for joy and set off on a long victory lap when Maurice Odumbe bowled tail-ender Dilhara Fernando at the end of the 45th over.

The victory rivalled Kenya's shock triumph over West Indies in the 1996 World Cup.

Kenya captain Steve Tikolo said: ``This was very excellent. I think he (Obuya) bowled the spell of his life.''

Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka's stunned captain, responded: ``We did not play like professionals. We looked like amateurs.

``I'm so disappointed with our batsmen. We should have got that total.''

Kenya, who benefited from a forfeit when New Zealand refused to play in Nairobi on security grounds, joined Sri Lanka on 12 points at the top of Group B. West Indies are on 10 and South Africa and the New Zealanders on eight.

Kenya's last two games are against Bangladesh and West Indies.

Obuya made it a family affair after brother Kennedy Otieno had top-scored with 60 in Kenya's innings.

Earlier Chaminda Vaas, the top wicket-taker in the tournament, took three for 41 and off-spinner Muralitharan, one of the world's leading spinners, four for 28, his best World Cup figures.

The Sri Lankans, unbeaten in three games before yesterday's match, had looked well on course for victory after the first innings.

But Obuya came on to rip out the heart of the innings after Sri Lanka, who won the toss, had cruised to 71 for two on a slowing pitch.

CELEBRATORY HUDDLE
By the end, the Kenyans were rushing into a celebratory huddle as each wicket fell.

Obuya had never taken more than two wickets in a one-dayer before. His previous nine wickets in 18 games had cost him 78.22 runs apiece.

Extracting good bounce, he began his extraordinary performance by removing Hashan Tillekeratne who, having made 23, swept him and was caught at deep midwicket.

The score crept up to 87 to three before the last seven wickets fell for 70 runs.

Mahela Jayawardene, on five, tried to turn a full toss from Obuya and sent back a leading edge into the bowler's hands.

Kumar Sangakkara, playing back to Obuya, edged up in the air off the shoulder of the bat and wicketkeeper Otieno, Obuya's brother, dashed round and took a diving catch by his glove tips - the dismissal confirmed by the third umpire.

Obuya then took the prized wicket of Aravinda de Silva, who cut at a full-length ball too close to him and was caught behind.

Vaas was caught and bowled to complete Obuya's perfect day as the innings caved in.

Sri Lanka had beaten Kenya in the previous two World Cups, scoring a tournament record of 398 for five against them in 1996.

KENYA
K.Otieno c Muralitharan b de Silva 60

R.Shah lbw b Vaas 0

B.Patel c Sangakkara b Vaas 12

S.Tikolo lbw b Muralitharan 10

H.Modi b Muralitharan 26

M.Odumbe c & b Muralitharan 26

T.Odoyo c Sangakkara b Vaas 6

C.Obuya not out 13

T.Suji b Muralitharan 6

P.Ongondo b Jayasuriya 20

M.Suji not out 3

Extras: (b-5, lb-11, w-10, nb-2) 28

Total: (for nine wickets, 50 overs) 210

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-46, 3-75, 4-112, 5-152, 6-163, 7-163, 8-173, 9-205.

Bowling: Vaas 10-1-41-3, Nissanka 7-2-29-0, Fernando 7-0-33-0, Muralitharan 10-1-28-4, Jayasuriya 9-1-30-1, de Silva 5-1-23-1, Arnold 2-0-10-0.

SRI LANKA

M.Atapattu b Odoyo 23

S.Jayasuriya c Patel b M.Suji 3

H.Tillekeratne c T.Suji b Obuya 23

A.de Silva c Otieno b Obuya 41

M.Jayawardene c & b Obuya 5

K.Sangakkara c Otieno b Obuya 5

R.Arnold not out 25

C.Vaas c & b Obuya 4

P.Nissanka c Odoyo b Tikolo 2

M.Muralitharan c T.Suji b Tikolo 10

D.Fernando b Odumbe 7

Extras: 9

Total: (all out, 45 overs) 157

Fall of wickets: 1-13 2-39, 3-71, 4-87, 5-105, 6-112, 7-119, 8-131, 9-149.