It took the Shivnarine Chanderpaul-led Guyana cricket team just 45 minutes on the final day of their four-day Carib Beer regional first-class encounter at Bourda to register their third consecutive outright win and clinch a place in the semi-finals which commences on Thursday.
On a bright Sunday morning in Gerogetown, Guyana dismissed Kenya for 191 to send the East Africans, the 2003 World Cup semi-finalists, crashing to an innings and 114-run defeat yesterday.
The emphatic win sparked celebration in the Guyana camp and among the handful of 'die hard' supporters who turned up to see their team claim the last three Kenyan wickets inside the first hour before lunch.
Guyana won with over two sessions to spare and moved to 40 points in the eight-team competition.
Needing another 133 runs to make Guyana bat a second time, Kenya began the last day on 172-7 in their second innings and were all out for 191 despite a fighting half-century from left-hander Hitesh Modi, who was ninth out for 50 from 151 balls, 165 minutes with six fours.
Scores- Guyana 444, Kenya 139 and 191.
Pacer Rayon Griffith removed Martin Suji (2) and Peter Ongondo (6) while leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamoo-too had the other wicket to fall yesterday when he tempted Modi to pull a short ball to substitute Krishna Arjune at deep square-leg at 191-9.
Griffith, who finished with 3-25 from 10.4 overs and 16 wickets from six games, made the breakthrough when Suji slapped a short ball to Zaheer Mohamed at point, 23 minutes into the day's play.
Nagamootoo, had 3-46 to end with 23 wickets from five games this season and take his regional first-class tally to within 13 of record holder Clyde Butts' 270. Left-arm spinner Neil McGarrell took 3-43 to take his 2004 wicket tally to 23 from seven games.
Modi looked organized in his 50 but opener Kennedy Obuya, who made 70 on the third day, was the only other Kenyan to offer strong resistance to a Guyana team which showed fight, confidence and unity in the home games after enduring their worst-ever performance in the 38-year-old history of sponsored regional first-class cricket with three defeats in their first three 'away' games.
Guyanese will celebrate the country's 34th Republic anniversary with the massive 'Mash' street jam today in the capital city but celebrations had already began yesterday at the nation's lone test venue.
Popular cricket fans 'Cook Up' and Taylor, equipped with home-made horns and Guyana flags, led the vocal support as the home team marched to victory.
Chanderpual, whose captaincy this season was of a very high standard, praised his team after the game and singled out vice-captain Ram-naresh Sarwan, who made 199, and Mahendra Naga-mootoo who captured 8-91 in the game, for special mention.
The Guyana skipper promised to keep the Guyana flag flying proudly as his team departs tomorrow morning at 5:40am for their semi-final in Barbados against unbeaten double-defending champions Barbados.
Sarwan, who fell one short of his first first-class double century, was named Man-of-the match. He said after the game that nervousness when on 199 helped to cause his demise.
"I really wanted to get a double and since I had never done that before I think I got a bit nervous, tried too hard and lost my wicket with a loose drive," Sarwan said.
The 23-year-old West Indies vice-captain said he was pleased with his performance since his return from South Africa but disappointed that he did not convert his 95 in the sixth round into a hundred.
"I have never scored a century against a Caribbean team in regional cricket and I hope to change that in the next match in Barbados," informed Sarwan, who has three regional first-class tons to his name.
President of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Chetram Singh told the gathering during the presentation ceremony that it was a good season overall for the competition with Barbados being the first team to win seven consecutive games. He congratulated the Guyana team for their win and said he was confident that the local side could rebound from their poor start to win the title this year.
The Windward Islands and Jamaica face each other in the second semi-final which also commences on Thursday.