KINGSTOWN St Vincent, (CMC) - The Windward Islands, with a semifinal place still beckoning, take on Kenya in their sixth round Carib Beer Cricket Series match at the Arnos Vale Playing Field from today.

The Windwards are in fifth position on 24 points after collecting six points for their first innings advantage over the Leewards in their last match.

The Kenyans are still smarting from a six-wicket defeat at the hands of runaway leaders Barbados, while the Windwards -- on home soil -- are on a crest after getting the upper hand against their long-time nemesis, the Leeward Islands, with first innings points and notching up their highest score (435) for a few seasons in the process.

The Windwards, who have been unable to put together a series of consistent batting performances, are buoyed by the return to form of dropped West Indies opener, Devon Smith, who slammed a brilliant 159 in piloting his team to their impressive total.

The batting of St. Lucia’s teenager Craig Emmanuel and the all-round performance of his compatriot Darren Sammy, as well as the apparent return to form of captain Rawl Lewis also with bat and ball, would give the homesters some level of confidence going into the match.

The Windwards will however be concerned with the fitness of wicketkeeper/batsman Junior Murray who was unable to bat in either innings against Trinidad and Tobago because of a sore back.

He had missed the previous match against Guyana and the last fixture against the Leewards.

Also of concern to the management will be the form of opener, Rommel Currency, who has looked woefully out of form save for one half-century.

The middle order in general has failed to fire with Lyndon James, Roland Wilkinson and Kenroy Martin, all called upon to fill the breach with little success.

The same cannot be said about the bowling, which has been consistent as in the past with the 379 for nine by the Leewards in their last match being the only total over 300 against them.

The Kenyans, joint last placed with Guyana and the Leewards with 16 points, have had a staccato tournament being unable to net together four successive days of consistency.

They lost their opening match to West Indies-B after taking first innings, conceded first innings points in their next two matches to Leeward Islands and T&T, took first innings points from Jamaica and lost outright to Barbados.

Their batting has shown that they can score heavily with Maurice Odumbe among the leading run-scorers having lashed a double hundred against the Leewards.

Others like captain Steve Tikolo, opener Ravindu Shah and Kennedy Obuya have also contributed some useful scores.

The bowling has been unable to create much of an impact outside of Odumbe, who has collected a couple of five-wicket hauls.

Leg-spinner Collins Obuya, who impressed during the 2003 World Cup in South Africa, has failed to find form while Martin Suji, Peter Ongondo and Lameck Onyango have been moderate.

Despite this and with the Windwards’ known weakness against spin and the pitch likely to be on the slow side, the Kenyans would be entering the match harbouring thoughts of a first outright win.

SQUADS:

WINDWARD ISLANDS - Rawl Lewis (captain), Devon Smith, Rommel Currency, Craig Emmanuel, Andre Fletcher, Lindon James, Darren Sammy, Olanzo Jackson, Deighton Butler, Shane Shillingford, Cameron Cuffy, Fernix Thomas, Kenroy Thomas.