Scorpions, Hurricanes in control - Defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles fight back against Pride

ST JOHN'S, Antigua:

The Jamaica Scorpions and the Leeward Islands Hurricanes are both in strong positions to push for victories, while the defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles were in the ascendancy against the Barbados Pride after the close of play on the second day of the opening round of matches in the West Indies Championship on Thursday.

The Scorpions routed the Volcanoes for just 195 runs and have already established a lead of 214 runs, while the Hurricanes already lead West Indies Academy by 347 runs.

Meanwhile, the Harpy Eagles are just 31 runs adrift of Barbados Pride's total with seven wickets intact.

AT ARNOS VALE:

After starring with the bat, Jermaine Blackwood returned to do damage with the ball, picking up three wickets to give the Jamaica Scorpions a handy 142-run first innings lead against the Windward Islands Volcanoes.

Blackwood added just eight runs to his overnight score of 101, as the Scorpions resuming on 291 for seven were eventually dismissed for 337 in 96.4 overs.

Darel Cyrus (2-26), Gilon Tyson (2-66) and Daurius Martin (2-74) were the pick of the Volcanoes' bowlers.

Delivering his medium pace, Blackwood then snared three of the first four Volcanoes wickets to fall to trigger a collapse that saw the home side slip from 46 without loss to 67 for four, before eventually dismissed for 195 in 56.4 overs.

Shadrack Descarte scored 34 and Ryan John added 46 to help bolster the Volcanoes' total, but they still fell well short of the Scorpions' first innings total.

Blackwood finished with 3-37, while Odean Smith captured 3-55.

Kirk McKenzie then finished unbeaten on 36 and Carlos Brown scored 30 to give the Scorpions a good start in their second innings, and they ended the day on 72 for one (15.5 overs), a lead of 214 runs.

AT BRIAN LARA CRICKET ACADEMY:

Jason Mohammed and Jyd Goolie both scored centuries as the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force declared their innings at a massive 504 for six off 138.3 overs against the Combined Colleges and Campuses (CCC).

Mohammed cracked 176 from 276 balls and Goolie made 121 from 198 balls, and the two added 227 runs for the third wicket to frustrate the CCC for the majority of the day's play.

When Goolie was dismissed to make the score 386 for three, Mohammed posted another 44 runs with Yannic Cariah and 49 with Tion Webster, who both made 22.

The CCC were 108 for two (35.1 overs).

AT COOLIDGE CRICKET GROUND:

The Leeward Islands Hurricanes are in prime position to push for victory on Friday's third day, having ended the day with a mammoth 347-run lead over the West Indies Academy.

The Hurricanes added 68 runs to their overnight total of 290 for six to be all out for 358 (102.3 overs), with left-arm spinner Joshua Bishop taking three of those wickets to end with the impressive figures of 7-85.

Jahmar Hamilton scored 81 after resuming the day on 67 and Rahkeem Cornwall lashed 49 from just 42 balls for the Hurricanes.

The WI Academy then produced a woeful batting effort, with only three batsmen getting into double digits, to be dismissed for 145 (39.3 overs).

Carlon Bowen-Tuckett topscored with 34 and Rivaldo Clarke made 29, but the WI Academy were undone by pacer Cameron Pennyfeather and the off spin of Cornwall, with both taking three wickets.

Jewel Andrew then hit a quickfire 57 and the Hurricanes ended on 134 for four to further extend their advantage.

AT GUYANA NATIONAL STADIUM:

Kemol Savory and Kevlon Anderson both hit unbeaten half centuries and the Guyana Harpy Eagles look poised to grab a first innings lead over the Barbados Pride.

Savory scored 95 not out and Anderson finished unbeaten on 87 to lead the Harpy Eagles to 315 for three (87 overs) in reply to the Pride's first innings of 346 (84.3 overs), just 31 runs adrift.

The pair has already added 179 runs for the fourth wicket, after coming together with the score on 136 for three.

The Harpy Eagles also got useful contributions from Raymond Perez, who made 46, Tagenarine Chanderpaul (40) and Matthew Nandu, who chipped in with 36.

- CMC