ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, (CMC) - Kenya easily secured first innings points over Jamaica, and their fifth round Carib Beer Series match at Grenada’s National Cricket Stadium ended in a tame draw yesterday afternoon.
The Kenyans claimed a 103-run first innings lead and reached 170 for seven in their second innings when the game was called off at 4.30 p.m. local time.
Man-of-the-match Kennedy Obuya top-scored again -- with 68 -- for the Africans, who notched six points to climb to 16 points, staying sixth in the standings behind leaders Barbados (48), Trinidad and Tobago (36), West Indies-B (24), Jamaica (22) and the Windward Islands (18).
After an early (9.30) start, Jamaica stretched their innings 57 minutes into the morning session and never threatened Kenya’s total of 302 in the first innings race.
They had added just nine runs to their overnight 162 for seven when off-spinner Steve Tikolo bowled Keith Hibbert, the right-hander missing an attempted drive.
Hibbert, 31 overnight, made 39, with four boundaries.
Jerome Taylor (5) was bowled 10 runs later when he missed a wild-looking pull shot against pacer Peter Ongondo at 181 for nine, and off-spinner Maurice Odumbe wrapped up the Jamaica innings for 199 when he bowled Ryan Cunningham for six.
Andrew Richardson was left not out on 17.
Tikolo, whose three-wicket effort after tea on Sunday swung the first innings battle decisively in his team’s favour, finished with fine figures of four for 33 off 19 overs with four maidens.
Ongondo (3-52), Odumbe (2-49) and Lameck Onyango (1-30) were the other wicket-takers for Kenya.
Batting for an hour and a half to the lunch break, Kenya lost two wickets when the young West Indies pacer Taylor dislodged Ravindu Shah (14) and Brijal Patel (1).
He induced an outside edge from Shah for his captain Gareth Breese to clutch at second slip, and four runs later, the 19-year-old trapped Patel leg-before-wicket as Kenya dipped to 27 for two.
From a lunchtime position of 61 for two, Kenya profited from a 46-run third wicket stand between first innings century-maker Kennedy Obuya and Tikolo until seamer Dave Bernard and off-spinner Breese combined for four wickets before tea.
An out-swinger by Bernard dislodged Tikolo (28) at 73 for three, and five runs later, captain Breese trapped Odumbe leg-before-wicket before the experienced right-hander had scored.
It became 87 for five when Bernard removed Hitesh Modi (1) leg-before-wicket, but Obuya and Maurice Ouma led a recovery with a 49-run sixth-wicket partnership.
Tamar Lambert snared a sharp reflex catch off Breese low at forward short leg to dislodge Ouma (17) just before tea.
Obuya, who scored 104 in Kenya’s first innings 302, hit six boundaries in reaching his half-century before tea.
He was on 66 at the break but added only two more runs after the resumption and was caught behind off left-arm spinner Cunningham.
Rageb Aga (16) and Martin Suji (14) stayed together until the game was called off.
Bernard led the Jamaica bowling with two for 21 off 10 overs, while Taylor (2-30) and Breese (2-42) shared four wickets.
The other wicket-taker was Cunningham, who returned stifling figures of one for 16 off 14 overs with five maidens.
In the fifth round this weekend, the Jamaicans play West Indies-B in Antigua and Kenya travel to Barbados.
KENYA 1st innings 302 (K.Obuya 104; A.Richardson 5-42)
JAMAICA 1st innings (o/n 162 for 7)
B.Parchment c Odumbe b Ongondo 21
M.Kepple c Aga b Odumbe 17
M.Ventura c&b Tikolo 45
D.Bernard c Aga b Ongondo 5
C.Baugh c Patel b Onyango 1
T.Lambert c Aga b Tikolo 26
K.Hibbert b Tikolo 39
G.Breese c Patel b Tikolo 0
J.Taylor b Ongondo 5
A.Richardson not out 17
R.Cunningham b Odumbe 6
Extras: (b-10, lb-4, nb-3) 17
Total: (all out - 91 overs) 199
Fall of wickets: 1-34, 2-55, 3-60), 4-66, 5-117, 6-154, 7-154, 8-171, 9-181,10-199.