Jamaica Scorpions make slow start

The Jamaica Scorpions put in a forgettable performance with the bat on the opening day of the new West Indies Championship season against the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad and Tobago yesterday.

When stumps were drawn, the hosts were 98 for three, replying to 141 made by the Jamaican franchise.

With months of inactivity due to the pandemic, a blistering start was not expected, as the Scorpions could only muster 10 runs in the first four overs before debutant Leroy Lugg went for one run off 13 balls.

Captain John Campbell and Test batsman Jermaine Blackwood then took the score to 74, before Campbell on 25, became the first of six wickets for off-spinner Bryan Charles.

Blackwood looked good for his 44 runs from 72 balls with three fours, but when he was caught at bat-pad off Charles, things went downhill for the visitors at 82 for three.

The Scorpions would go on to lose seven wickets for 59 runs, as Charles had the batters in tatters by finishing with career-best figures of six wickets for 48 runs.

Seamer Jayden Seales weighed in with two wickets, as Marquino Mindley chipped in with some late order runs by scoring 22.

In the Red Force reply, Jamaican pacer Nicholson Gordon made sure that their innings did not get off to the best of starts, as he sent back both openers with just 24 runs on the board.

First, the Kensington Cricket Club fast bowler trapped captain Imran Khan in front for nine then rattled the stumps of left-hander Keegan Simmons for 11.

Jason Mohammed and wicket-keeper Joshua Da Silva steadied the innings somewhat with a 34-run partnership, which took the score to 58 before Mindley had Mohammed caught behind for 22.

Da Silva continued to play positively and he and Yannic Cariah saw the Red Force to stumps without further loss, following a 40-run fourth-wicket partnership. Da Silva will resume today on 32, while Cariah is not out on 11, as the Red Force trail on the first innings by 43 runs.

Gordon has so far taken two for 23, while Mindley has picked up one for 33.