BASSETERRE, St Kitts, CMC - All-rounder Maurice Odumbe snared a five-wicket haul and posted a half-century as Kenya secured a clear first innings advantage over West Indies-B on the opening day of their Carib Beer series first round match at the Edgar Gilbert Park yesterday.
Odumbe led Kenya’s bowling as they ripped through the West Indies ‘Development’ team’s batting and reduced them to 97 all out.
The first-time visitors to the region also struggled with the bat against pacer Jason Bennett but Odumbe stroked 61 and dragged them to 149 all out at stumps for a 52-run first innings advantage.
Sent in to bat, West Indies-B secured a fairly promising start when Jason Haynes (28) and Ryan Ramdass (17) shared a 46-run opening stand.
But after they were separated, teenagers Lendl Simmons (13) and Assad Fudadin (11) -- both preparing for next month’s Youth World Cup in Bangladesh -- were the only other batsmen to reach double figures.
West Indies-B catastrophically lost their last nine wickets for a mere 29 runs as Odumbe returned amazing figures of five for 11 off 10 overs with five maidens and was supported by leg-spinner Collins Obuya, with two for three off 1.3 overs.
Using the series as a developmental exercise as they continue to press for Test status, Kenya were in danger of falling short of the skimpy first innings target as they were sent reeling 40 for six.
Bennett, in his second season with the Windies-B team, captured five for 45 off 15 overs, but Odumbe’s half-century and his resistant and vital eighth-wicket stand with Martin Suji (24) lifted the score from 57 for seven to 128.
Young fast bowler Dwight Washington, with one for nine off seven overs, and left-arm spinner Anderson Sealy, with one for 15 off 10 overs, also proved stifling.
Ramdass (2-16) and Antonio Thomas (1-55) were the other wicket-takers for West Indies-B who will begin their bid this morning to wipe off the deficit.
WEST INDIES-B 1st innings
J.Haynes c Ogundo b Odumbe 28
R.Ramdass lbw Onyango 17
L.Simmons b Ongondo 13
A.Fudadin stp. K.Obuya b Tikolo 11
G.Mahabir c wkp. K.Obuya b Odumbe 1
D.Hyatt c Modi b Odumbe 0
*+D.Ramdin c Otieno b Odumbe 0
A.Sealy c Suji b C.Obuya 6
J.Bennett b Odumbe 7
D.Washington not out 0
A.Thomas c Modi b C.Obuya 1
Extras: (b-6, lb-2, nb-5) 13
Total: (all out - 39.3 overs) 97
Fall of wickets: 1-46, 2-68, 3-68, 4-70, 5-70, 6-82, 7-84, 8-90, 9-94.