Davis bowled with great control to end with five for 45 from 22 overs in the first innings as T&T rolled over the defending champs for just 121 in reply to their 271 on a good batting surface at the Guyana National Stadium. Armed with a lead of 150 at tea, T&T quickly enforced the follow-on and had reduced the Windwards to 59 for four at the close.
Ali was impressive with his superb flight and change of pace as he attacked the timid Windward batsman. Operating from the Pavilion End, he finished the day with three wickets for eight runs from a marathon 13-over spell that left the Windwards wobbling, still 91 runs away from making T&T bat again.
Left-hander Keon George, on a painstaking six not out off 52 balls, and night-watchman Ray Jordan, yet to get off the mark, will resume on Sunday faced with the Herculean task of helping their side avoid a second consecutive defeat.
In the first innings, Davis triggered a middle and lower-order collapse as the last seven wickets fell for 26 runs in 16 overs. He got the key wicket of skipper Kavem Hodge who made 50 with five fours off 124 balls, before he was well held by Akeal Hosein at slip.
Davis also got rid of the dangerous Sunil Ambris who hit a massive six off the spinner before he went caught at cover for 34. In another moment of brilliance, Davis ran out George, with a one-handed pick-up and direct throw which found the batsman short of his crease.
In the second innings, Hodge again worked hard for 33 in an hour and 10 minutes, but succumbed to the intense pressure when he slapped a long hop from Ali to Christian Herrera at cover near the close.
Two balls later, Ali produced a perfect delivery which straightened and trapped Ambris plumb in front for a “duck”, leaving the Windwards in a deep hole at 56 for four, with their most experienced and reliable batsmen back in the dressing room.
Earlier, T&T added 52 to their overnight 219 for six with Ali leading the charge with 31 off 39 balls including three well hit boundaries.
For Windwards, fast bowler Ray Jordan added two wickets to finish with a career-best six for 60 from 18.5 overs. His two wickets on Saturday were both taken by Ambris behind the stumps as he deputised for the injured Hollis Blair.
Scoreboard
WINDWARD ISLANDS 1st inningsJ James c wk Katwaroo b Lara 2 E Peter lbw b Ali 8 K Hodge c Hosein b Davis 50 K George run out (Davis) 3 S Ambris c Joseph b Davis 34 D Thomas c and b Davis 6 H Blair lbw b Davis 0 L Edward lbw b Mohammed 7 R Jordan c Mohammed b Davis 4 B Bess run out (Ali) 1 S Browne not out 0 Extras (b1, w2, nb3) 6 TOTAL (all out, 56 overs) 121 Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-30, 3-43, 4-95, 5-101, 6-105, 7-110, 8-120, 9-120, 10-121 Bowling: Sooklal 7-3-9-0, Lara 5-0-14-1, Davis 22-6-45-5, Ali 5-0-16-1, Hosein 2-1-5-0, Mohammed 15-2-31-1
WINDWARD ISLANDS 2nd Innings (follow on)E Peter lbw b Lara 9 J James b Ali 8 K Hodge c Herrera b Ali 33 K George not out 6 S Ambris lbw b Ali 0 R Jordan not out 0 Extras (lb3) 3 TOTAL (4 wkts, 38 overs) 59 Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-33, 3-56, 4-56. Bowling: Lara 3-0-11-1, Sooklal 3-0-6-0, Davis 12-3-15-0, Ali 13-8-8-3, Mohammed 3-1-3-0, Rajah 4-0-13-0 Position: Windwards require another 91 runs to avoid an innings defeat. Toss: T&T. Umpires: M Morton, S Crawford.