KINGSTOWN St Vincent, (CMC) - The Windward Islands rushed to an innings and 26-run victory over Kenya inside three days in their sixth round Carib Beer Cricket Series match at the Arnos Vale Playing Field yesterday.
Kenya, faced with a deficit of 205, ended their innings at 179 for eight, late on the third day after two of their batsmen Maurice Odumbe and Ravindhu Shah were unable to bat because of injuries.
Odumbe was struck on his left foot by a Fernix Thomas yorker on the first day while Shah injured his right hand while attempting to take a catch in the Windwards innings, which was highlighted by a career-best knock from Devon Smith and a maiden first-class century for Rommel Currency.
Thomas (2-44), seamer Darren Sammy (2-29), and off-spinner Shane Shillingford (2-20) combined to propel their team to victory and keep their International Challenge semifinal hopes alive.
Thomas, who took eight for 27 and two for 44 was named man-of-the-match.
Captain Steve Tikolo hit a top-score of 45 while Collins Obuya (43), Kennedy Obuya (40), and Martin Suji (30) all showed some resistance, which only served to delay the inevitable after the Windwards, had made early inroads in the innings.
The Windward Islands, who declared at 357 for one after just over an hour’s play on the third day, rocked their opponents very early by grabbing the wickets of Hitesh Modi (0) and Ragheb Aga (11) to leave their opponents at 42 for two at lunch.
Modi skied a return catch to Thomas trying to hook with the score on nought, and Aga, who came in at number three, was caught by wicketkeeper Lyndon James off the bowling of Sammy in the penultimate over before lunch.
The experienced Tikolo and Kennedy Obuya moved the score to 73 before Obuya edged to wicketkeeper James off left arm seamer Kenroy Peters.
They then slipped to 119 for five before Collins Obuya and Suji added 57 for the sixth wicket.
The dismissal of Suji then saw the innings quickly folding.
The Windwards, who had resumed on 281 without loss, saw their opening pair of Devon Smith and Rommel Currency taking their partnership to 309 before Smith edged an attempted drive off Suji to wicketkeeper Maurice Ouma for 180 -- his highest first-class score.
In all, he batted 369 minutes faced 303 balls, and hit 12 fours and one six.
At the dismissal of Smith, captain Rawl Lewis then promoted himself in the search for quick runs and succeeded by belting sixes off pacer Peter Ongondo, Obuya, and Suji in an unbeaten 27.
Currency was the other not-out batsman on 121.
Currency was the chief beneficiary of the Kenyans’ generosity after being given lives at 31, 104, 105 and 106.
Ongondo featured in all of the chances having three floored off his bowling, then putting down one off Suji.
Martin Suji with 1-67 was the only successful bowler.
KENYA 1st innings 152 (H.Modi 33; F.Thomas 8-28)
WINDWARDS 1st innings (overnight 281 without loss)