KINGSTOWN St Vincent, (CMC) - Pacer Fernix Thomas returned his best first-class figures and the best at the Arnos Vale Playing Field to put the Windward Islands in a commanding position on day one of their sixth round Carib Beer Series match yesterday.
Thomas had returns of eight for 27 in a sustained spell of seam bowling, which saw the visitors plunge from a teatime position of 104 for three to 152 all out.
At the close, the Windwards were four without loss with Devon Smith on one and Romel Currency on two.
The Kenyans who were asked to take first knock after losing the toss could have been dismissed for a lower total if not for some stout lower order batting, led by Collins Obuya, who made 23.
Thomas began his demolition job from just before lunch when he picked up the wicket of Kennedy Obuya (28) caught by Darren Sammy at point, chasing a wide ball in the penultimate over of the session.
Immediately upon the resumption, Thomas accounted for the stylish Ravindu Shah (18) and captain Steve Tikolo (0) in the space of four balls for the addition of three runs to the lunchtime 51 for one.
Shah, who had been subdued during the morning session, was well caught low down by Sammy at second slip attempting to drive a wide ball from Thomas, and in the same over, a nervous-looking Tikolo had his stumps disturbed by one which moved slightly off the pitch.
A half-century fourth-wicket partnership between veteran Maurice Odumbe and Hitesh Modi then saw the visitors to tea on 104 for three.
Odumbe was unbeaten on 17 and the left-handed Modi, who batted the entire two-hour period, was then on 30.
The post-tea period which saw some 35 minutes lost to rain, saw the Dominica pacer at his most devastating as he removed Odumbe (18), Modi (33) and Maurice Ouma (2) as the Africans went from their teatime 104 for three to 113 for six.
Thomas, who had ended the second break with figures of three for nine in eleven overs on a pitch, which is on the slow side, broke the Odumbe/Modi stand when he forced the former to edge a drive to wicketkeeper Lyndon James with the score on 105.
Four runs later, Ouma went the same way to leave the Kenyans on 109 for five.
The vigil of the obdurate Modi (144 minutes 113 balls) eventually came to an end when he was comfortably taken by Sammy waist-high at second slip with the total on 113.
Thomas came back late in the afternoon to comprehensively bowl Collins Obuya for 23 and completed a good day’s work by having Peter Ongondo easily caught by Lewis at gully to beat the previous best of 8 for 79 taken by Windwards leg-spinner, Olanzo Jackson against the West Indies B three years ago at the venue.
In-between Thomas’ assault, Lewis (1-19) had Martin Suji caught by Devon Smith in the covers, and left-arm seamer Deighton Butler (1-29) hit the off stump of Rageb Aga.
The Windwards, faced with negotiating a possible five overs, ended only having to face an over apiece from Ogondo and Odumbe before the rain -- which had resulted in two stoppages amounting to 47 minutes - returned to drive the players from the field and brought play to a premature close.
KENYA 1st innings
K.Obuya c Sammy b Thomas 28
R.Shah c Sammy b Thomas 17
H.Modi c Sammy b Thomas 33
S.Tikolo b Thomas 0
M.Odumbe c wkp. b Thomas 18
M.Ouma c wkp. b Thomas 2
R.Aga b Butler 5
C.Obuya b Thomas 23
M.Suji c Smith b Lewis 3
P.Ongondo c Lewis b Thomas 1
L.Luseno not out 1
Extras:(lb-10, nb-11) 21
Total: (all out) 152
Fall of wickets: 1-50 2-54,3-54 4-105, 5-109, 6-113 7-137, 8-145 9-149.
Bowling: Thomas 18.2-6-28-8, Butler 15-2-29-1 (nb-5), Peters 12-4-19-0 (nb-2), Lewis 15-8-19-1 (nb-2), Shillingford 11-2-30-1 (nb-1), Sammy 10-5-17-0 (nb-1), Smith 1-1-0-0.