ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, (CMC) - Former West Indies youth pacer Andrew
Richardson ripped through Kenya’s middle-order batting to lift Jamaica’s spirits late on the second day of their Carib Beer Series fourth round match at the National Cricket Stadium yesterday.
The Kenyans lost their last five wickets without adding to their score as they plunged to 302 all out.
Richardson snared five for 42 off 18 overs with three maidens, and with part-time off-spinner Brenton Parchment, who captured two for one off two overs, cleaned up the Africans’ lower order after they had appeared set for a bigger total.
The Jamaicans faced only one over before the close and reached one without loss.
Aided by some poor out-cricket from the Jamaican side, Kenya enjoyed a productive first session as they added 98 runs to their overnight score -- of 82 for two -- without losing a wicket.
The Jamaicans dropped three catches before the lunch break while Kennedy Obuya and Martin Suji both constructed half-centuries.
Obuya, 41 overnight, had added only two runs in the morning when Ryan Cunningham spilled an easy chance at mid-off when the opening batsman stroked off-spinner Gareth Breese to him airborne.
Wicketkeeper Keith Hibbert failed to hold a catch that would have dislodged Suji, when he was on 18 and facing Richardson, and the same batsman was dropped three runs before his half-century when Maurice Kepple failed to clutch a straightforward chance at mid-on, off Breese.
Obuya faced 135 balls, hit seven boundaries for his half-century, and went to lunch on 85.
Suji reached his fifty just before lunch off 93 balls with four fours and a hefty six off Breese over long-on.
Richardson and seamer Dave Bernard effected a three-wicket burst in the post-lunch session and the Kenyans were only able to add 47 runs in the session to their satisfying lunchtime position of 180 for two.
The 126-run third-wicket partnership between Obuya and Suji ended when Richardson removed Suji at 207 for four, and without addition to the score, Bernard dislodged Obuya.
Suji, attempting to pull Richardson, was caught at mid-wicket by Jerome Taylor for 59, and Obuya departed soon after achieving his century - caught at slip by Carlton Baugh for 104 as he pushed indecisively at a delivery from Bernard.
Obuya, the second Kenyan batsman -- after Maurice Odumbe (207) against Kenya -- to score a century in the series so far, struck 12 boundaries and faced 263 balls in his innings.
Sliding from the comfort of 207 for two, Kenya then plunged to 208 for five when Parchment’s stunning catch removed the prolific Odumbe for one.
Odumbe, whose aggregate of 284 runs entering the fourth round was bettered only by T&T’s Dwayne Bravo (301), cut hard to backward point where Parchment clutched a superb low catch, tumbling to his right.
From a teatime position of 227 for five, captain Steve Tikolo (63) and Hitesh Modi (27) posted a 75-run sixth-wicket stand that held up the Jamaicans in the last session, but the innings collapsed catastrophically after they were separated.
Tikolo belted five fours and lashed Breese and left-arm spinner Ryan Cunningham for sixes before he was caught behind off Richardson at 302 for six, and there was no further addition to the score.
Parchment dislodged Modi, who was followed into the pavilion by Maurice Ouma, bowled by Richardson, Rageb Aga leg-before-wicket to Parchment, and Lameck Onyango, bowled by Richardson.
Parchment and Kepple faced one over from Peter Ongondo before the close and the Jamaicans will aim at the 303-run first innings target when play starts at 9.30 on today’s third day.
KENYA 1st innings (o/n 82 for 2)
K.Obuya c Baugh b Bernard 104
R.Shah run-out 34
B.Patel c Lambert b Breese 4
M.Suji c Taylor b Richardson 59
S.Tikolo c wkp. Hibbert b Richardson 63
M.Odumbe c Parchment b Richardson 1
H.Modi c Ventura b Parchment 27
M.Ouma b Richardson 0
R.Aga lbw Parchment 0
P.Ongondo not out 0
L.Onyango b Richardson 0
Extras: (b-2, lb-3, w-1, nb-4) 10
Total: (all out - 132.4 overs) 302
Fall of wickets: 1-68, 2-81, 3-207, 4-207, 5-208, 6-302), 7-302, 8-302, 9-302.