Jamaica Scorpions

Powell smashed seven fours and three sixes in a mature knock that steered the Scorpions to 322-7 in pursuit of the Harpy Eagles 318-9. It was the highest successful chase of the season and the best score by any team in the 2022 CG Insurance Super50 competition.

He shared in a crucial fourth-wicket partnership of 103 with Alwyn Williams who made 45 and then stands of 34 and 37 with Dennis Bulli (17) and Odean Smith (19), respectively before an unbroken 37-run eighth-wicket alliance with Jeavor Royal, who was on 18 at the end after hitting the match-winning six off Nail Smith.

In his post-match comments after his first List A century of the season and his fourth overall, the 29-year-old all-rounder rated his match-winning knock highly.

“I think it is one of my better 100s,” said Powell, who arrived at the crease with Jamaica 101-3 following the dismissal of Brandon King for a well-played 64.

“I got a very good start. It was a very good wicket to be honest and so once I paced the innings and stayed at the wicket we would win.”

He praised King for his half-century, his second of the season, that set up the victory for the Scorpions team that will face the star-studded defending champions Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in the final on Saturday.

“It was very important,” he said of King’s 64. “It was important that someone get us off to a flying start and I think Brandon did that. It was just unfortunate that he couldn’t go a little longer.

“We were looking to get to 100 in 15 or so overs for the middle order to settle in and push around the ball and I think Brandon’s innings really set that up nicely.”

Wary of the quality of their opponents in Saturday’s final, Powell said it was essential for the Scorpions to improve in all three areas – batting, bowling and fielding – if they are to have any chance of dethroning the Trinidadian unit.

“Trinidad plays the best 50-over cricket in the Caribbean for a while now so it’s important for us to play very good cricket and improve batting, bowling and fielding,” he said perhaps referring to King dropping Shimron Hetmyer early in his innings. The West Indies middle order batsman went into top score for the Harpy Eagles with 86.

“Today (Thursday) we dropped a few catches. In the final, we cannot drop Trinidad’s big players like that.”

The Jamaican outfit lost a low-scoring affair to the Red Force in Trinidad before falling short in a run-fest against the Pride at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.

In the latter, the Scorpions found themselves 299-3 batting first at the end of day one, only to be bowled out early on day 2 for 328. After toiling hard in the field, thanks to a brilliant 276 from Barbados captain Kraigg Brathwaite, the Scorpions were staring at a first-innings deficit of 193 runs after Barbados declared their first innings on 521-8.

At one point in their second innings, Jamaica was 131-2 on day four and the game was seemingly heading towards a draw before, you guessed it, another collapse ensued.

They lost their final eight wickets for 102 runs, leaving the Pride with only 40 runs to get for an outright win, which they did by 10 wickets.

The question has to be asked: What is causing these batting collapses?

“Soft dismissals after a significant partnership or after individual players would have had starts,” was the response offered by Jamaica Scorpions head coach Andre Coley told Sportsmax.tv.

“The thinking has to be that we are never in as a batting unit, which means we need to be ready for the period-by-period battles while being sensitive to and aware of key periods in the game in which there could be a momentum shift. Bottom line is we need hunger for centuries and big runs, while having the patience to execute our plans,” he added.

Under normal circumstances, the regional four-day competition would see each team playing 10 matches but in this Covid-19 shortened season, each team will only play five matches, with that in mind, how many chances will players get?

“Usually, you would want to give players an opportunity or a run. A shorter tournament can mean less room for error or comeback. There can be no excuses in all areas if we are to move up the table. Performances that help the team either win or draw are important,” Coley said.

When asked about challenges faced in the first two rounds of the championship, Coley had this to say.

“Our most significant challenge at the end of round 2 would’ve been around our inability to bat a specific number of sessions based on the team plans. We have identified the areas of focus for the next six weeks. Our inability to take 20 wickets in either of the matches was also an area of concern, injury played a role here, and despite consistent early strikes, we were unable to get past resolute middle order defenses. Our ground fielding was excellent, and our catching was above average compared to the previous season,” he said.

The Red Force entered the day 98-3, trailing the Scorpions first innings score of 141 by 43 runs with Joshua Da Silva and Yannic Cariah at the crease on 32 and 11 respectively.

Da Silva added 5 to his overnight score before he was dismissed for 37 by Derval Green to leave the hosts 104-4.

Jyd Goolie was next to go for just six to leave the Red Force in a spot of bother at 118-5 before a magnificent 116-run partnership between Cariah and Isaiah Rajah put them in a comfortable position leading up to the end of play.

Cariah, who brought up his 10^th first class half-century off 181 balls in the 80^th over, eventually fell near the close of play for a patient 72 off 222 balls.

Rajah batted fluently to end the day, making 58 not out off 268 balls, including seven fours.

The Red Force ended Day 2 on 234-6 off 98 overs, leading the Scorpions by 93 runs.

Nicholson Gordon has so far led the way for the Jamaican bowlers with 3-51 off 21 overs while opening bowling partner Marquino Mindley has taken 2-52 off 20 overs.

18-year-old debutant leg-spinner Tamarie Redwood starred with a seven-wicket haul as the Jamaica Scorpions secured a 178-run victory over the Windward Islands Volcanoes on day four of their round one West Indies Championship fixture at Arnos Vale on Saturday. The Volcanoes started day four 65-1 off 28 overs, needing a further 355 runs for victory.

They say it's never too late for a shower of rain, and for Jermaine Blackwood, 2025 represents a chance for a downpour of redemption. 

It will still be all to play for on day four of the fifth-round West Indies Championship tussle between the West Indies Academy and Jamaica Scorpions after a spirited effort with both bat and ball from the Academy on Friday.

Thanks to a pair of brilliant spells of fast bowling from Ronaldo Alimohamed and Nial Smith, the Guyana Harpy Eagles ended day two of their fourth-round West Indies Championship fixture against the Jamaica Scorpions firmly in control at Sabina Park.

The Scorpions started the day 98-7 off 21 overs replying to the Windwards’ 217 all out.

They lost their final three wickets quickly, adding just three runs to their total to finish 101 all out in just 28.3 overs.

All the Jamaican wickets fell to fast bowling as Justin Greaves starred with a career-best 6-34 off 10.3 overs while Shermon Lewis and Ryan John took two wickets apiece.

The Windwards began their second innings with a lead of 116 and suffered an immediate setback when Jerlani Robinson fell to Marquino Mindley off the first ball of the second innings.

Debutant Johann Jeremiah went next for 11 before captain Alick Athanaze and Kavemm Hodge batted beautifully to put on 66 and carry the Volcanoes into lunch on 85-2, a lead of 201 runs with Hodge on 45 and Athanaze on 26.

The post-lunch session saw the pair continue to look comfortable against the Jamaican bowling.

Hodge and Athanaze both brought up fifties as the partnership reached a mammoth 171 before Hodge fell for an excellent 107-ball 82 to leave the Volcanoes 190-3 in the 38^th over.

Only eight runs later, Athanaze fell just shy of what would’ve ben his second first class hundred when he was dismissed by Kirk McKenzie for 97 off 100 balls, his eighth first class fifty and second of the match.

At tea, the Volcanoes were 215-4 off 44 overs, a lead of 331 runs, with Sunil Ambris on 12 and Justin Greaves on seven.

Soon after the resumption, Ambris became the fifth man to go, caught off the bowling of Nicholson Gordon for 23 with the score on 242 in the 54^th over.

Two overs later, Tevyn Walcott went for a nine-ball duck to leave the Volcanoes 244-6.

Patrick Harty removed Greaves for 33 and Ryan John for six in the 61^st over to leave the Windwards 259-8.

The ninth wicket fell when Jamie Merchant removed Kenneth Dember for 13 in the 69^th over with the score on 283.

The Windward were eventually bowled out for 300 after 78.5 overs meaning the Jamaica Scorpions will need 417 runs to win.

Patrick Harty ended with 3-63 while Marquino Mindley and Nicholson Gordon took two wickets, each.

Scores: Windward Islands Volcanoes 217 off 60.3 overs (Alick Athanaze 81, Justin Greaves 50, Derval Green 5-30, Nicholson Gordon 2-26, Jamie Merchant 2-39) and 300 off 78.5 overs (Alick Athanaze 97, Kavem Hodge 82, Justin Greaves 33, Patrick Harty 3-63, Marquino Mindley 2-45, Nicholson Gordon 2-59)

Jamaica Scorpions 101 off 28.3 overs (Derval Green 33, Jamie Merchant 24, Justin Greaves 6-34, Shermon Lewis 2-29, Ryan John 2-38).

Jordan took 3-48, Springer 3-11 and Boyce 3-26 as Barbados routed Jamaica for 141 in just 54.5 overs.

At stumps, in reply Barbados were 89-2 with Sheyne Moseley unbeaten on 41. With him is Shamarh Brooks on 16.

Jamie Merchant was the top scorer for Jamaica with 35. Tevin Gilzene scored 31 while Abhijai Mansingh contributed 27 to the paltry total.

Meanwhile, over at North Sound, Trinidad and Tobago Red Force playing against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes, were 151-3 at stumps thanks to an unbeaten 74 from Darren Bravo.

Bravo came to the rescue after his team had lost two early wickets with only eight runs on the board. He and Jason Mohammed put on 74 for the third wicket to put the Red Force back on track.

By stumps, he and Yannic Cariah added a further 69 to the total.

Jeremiah Louis did the early damage for the Leewards taking 2-19.

Barbados Pride gradually took control after bowling out Jamaica Scorpions for 231 on day one of their third-round West Indies Championship contest at Kensington Oval on Wednesday.

The Scorpions started the day 6-0 after four overs, trailing the Pride by 69 runs.

The day started terribly for the Jamaicans as the second ball of the day saw Akeem Jordan bowl Leroy Lugg for two.

Debutant Tevin Gilzene was next to go for nine, caught by Shayne Moseley off the bowling of Jordan in the seventh over.

Captain Paul Palmer Jr then joined Kirk McKenzie at the crease but didn’t last long, becoming Jordan’s third victim of the day for one to leave the Scorpions in a spot of bother at 21-3 after 11 overs.

Two and a half overs later, Jamaica lost their fourth wicket when Aldane Thomas was dismissed by Shamar Springer for three.

Not long after, Abhijai Mansingh became wicket number four for Jordan on the day after nicking off for a duck to leave the Scorpions 25-5 in the 15^th over.

Jamie Merchant was next in and added 12 for the seventh wicket with McKenzie before he fell for 10 in the 19^th over with the score on just 36.

It was then Marquino Mindley’s turn to face the music alongside McKenzie. The pacer reached one off seven balls before he became Springer’s second wicket to leave Jamaica reeling at 56-7 off in the 22^nd over, with debutant Ojay Shields joining McKenzie in the middle.

In the midst of the carnage at the other end, McKenzie brought up his maiden First-class fifty off 67 balls in the 28^th over.

McKenzie (54) and Ojay Shields (17) were the not out batsmen as the Scorpions entered the lunch break 101-7 from 29 overs, holding a slim 26-run lead over the Bajans.

After bringing up their 50 partnership shortly after lunch, McKenzie finally fell for a top score of 56 off 78 balls to leave the Scorpions 106-8.

Gordon Bryan joined Shields at the wicket and the pair put on 17 before Shields was next to go for 22 in the 37^th over with the score on 123.

Bryan, playing only his second First-class game, then provided some handy runs at the end, putting on 28 for the final wicket with Patrick Harty before being the last man dismissed for 42 off 64 balls.

In the end, the Scorpions limped to 151 all out in 45.5 overs, leaving the Pride needing just 77 to win.

Pace did the job for Barbados as Akeem Jordan continued his excellent form with the ball with 4-65 off 17 overs while Jair McAllister finished with 3-35 from 11 overs and Shamar Springer picked up two wickets.

The defending champions then needed just 29.2 overs to get to their target, reaching 78-4 to complete a six-wicket win.

Zachary McCaskie scored 26 against Patrick Harty’s 3-26 from 9.2 overs.

Scores: Jamaica Scorpions 140 off 54.5 overs (Jamie Merchant 35, Tevin Gilzene 32, Abhijai Mansingh 27, Shamar Springer 3-11, Camarie Boyce 3-26, Akeem Jordan 3-48) and 151 off 45.5 overs.(Kirk McKenzie 56, Gordon Bryan 42, Akeem Jordan 4-65, Jair McAllister 3-35, Shamar Springer 2-38)

Barbados Pride 215 off 69.5 overs (Shayne Moseley 82, Shane Dowrich 64*, Patrick Harty 4-23, Marquino Mindley 2-25, Abhijai Mansingh 2-30) and 78-4 off 29.2 overs (Zachary McCaskie 26, Jonathan Drakes 19, Shemar Springer 11*, Shane Dowrich 5*, Patrick Harty 3-26)

Volcanoes made 260-8 off their 50 overs as left-hander Keron Cottoy top-scored with a 64 off 47 balls with four fours and five sixes.

In reply, Jamaica had a bad start were 61-5 in the 15th over before being bowled out for 168 in the 37th over. Left-arm spinner Larry Edward celebrated his 26th birthday in style with a match-winning spell of 3-36 off 10 overs.

When Windwards batted, Andre Fletcher made 60 from 51 balls at the top of the order with four fours and three sixes.

Cottoy was named the CG Insurance Man-of-the-Match, as he continued his good form to follow up his career-best 72 in the previous match against Trinidad & Tobago Red Force. Volcanoes were 171-5 after 40 overs but Cottoy raised the tempo with a number of breathtaking shots as and the last 10 overs yielded 89 runs.

Andre McCarthy top-scored for Jamaica with a run-a-ball 55 which included six fours and a six as he maintained good form - his previous knocks were 48 against Guyana Jaguars and 40 against Trinidad & Tobago Red Force.

Fabian Allen played a number of brave shots in 39 from 43 balls. At the end, Fletcher showed his new skill set as a leg-spinner and captured the last two wickets.

“It’s always good to perform for your team especially in victories. I’m just glad I’ve been able to put up my hand and bat deep into the innings and it paid dividends,” said Cottoy. “We have to take it one game at a time although it feels good to win two out of three.”

Today:  Leeward Islands Hurricanes vs Trinidad & Tobago Red Force at Coolidge Cricket Ground. First ball is 1:30pm (12:30pm Jamaica Time)

Set a winning target of 264 after the Scorpions made 263-9 from their 50 overs, West Indies Academy scored 227-4 from 37.3 overs when rain interrupted play. It was the third straight loss for Jamaica who remain at the bottom of the table.

When rain stopped play Bishop was unbeaten on 67 from 67 balls. He hit three fours and two sixes in his knock that swung the match heavily in favour of the West Indies Academy. Julien also played a crucial role in the win with his 52 from 48 balls while Kevin Wickham contributed a useful 37.

Pace bowler Shalome Parnell was the best of the Scorpions’ bowlers with 2-43.

Earlier, Kirk McKenzie scored a match-high 84 and Captain Rovman Powell, 53, as the Jamaica Scorpions put together an under-par score of 263-7.  Opener Chadwick Walton (17), Andre McCarthy (15) and Jeavor Royal (27) all got starts but failed to capitalize against the bowling of Nyeem Young who was the standout bowler taking 5-49.

McKenny Clarke took 2-27.

Scores in the game so far, the Leeward Islands Hurricanes, 260 and 134-6, against the Jamaica Scorpions, 561-9 declared.

After a first-innings performance with the ball that restricted the Hurricanes to 260, thanks to Marquino Mindley’s 5-65 and Derval Green’s 4-84.

The Scorpions responded brilliantly courtesy of 248 from discarded West Indies batsman Jermaine Blackwood, who slammed 248, and by opener John Campbell, who scored his fifth first-class century, this time scoring 112.

Nkrumah Bonner, 48, and Jamie Merchant, 50 not out, played good supporting roles in helping the Scorpions rack up 561.

On Saturday, despite Montcin Hodge’s unbeaten 60, Green’s 2-49, Mindley’s 1-39, and 3-12 from Jamie Merchant, left the Hurricanes struggling at 134, still some 167 runs away from making the Scorpions bat again.

There may be some light at the end of the tunnel for the Hurricanes with Alzarri Joseph and Jeremiah Louis yet to bat. Joseph scored 89 in the first innings, while Louis also notched a half century, getting to 75 before he was last man out.

Hayden Walsh Jr is also still at the crease with Hodge on 18.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat, the Scorpion's batting line-up was rocked early on when Leroy Lugg was sent back to the pavilion, with just 17 runs on the board.  Lugg was caught by Gudakesh Motie off the bowling of Demetri Cameron.  Blackwood and John Campbell then went about repairing the damage and put on a 50-run partnership for the second wicket, but that was brought to an end when Campbell was trapped lbw by Kevin Sinclair.

Blackwood would, however, continue to anchor the innings putting on another 30 with Paul Palmer Jr after Oraine Williams also fell victim to Sinclair when he was trapped lbw without scoring.  Palmer himself became one of two victims on the day for Motie after being gobbled up by Cameron.

Alwyn Williams then joined the set Blackwood, at the crease, and the two saw the score to over 200 with Williams adding 51 before being dismissed by Motie.

Overall, Motie ended with figures of 2 for 39, while Sinclair ended with 2 for 74.  At the close of play, Blackwood stood unbeaten on 110 off 251 balls and he was partnered by Aldane Thomas who notched 35 off 40 deliveries.

Blackwood, 32, will captain the team and is looking to earn a recall to the West Indies Test outfit after he was dropped prior to their recent tour of Australia. Blackwood, who averages 30.18 in 56 Tests, played two games for the Scorpions in last season’s West Indies Championship, scoring 159 runs with two fifties in four innings.

Bonner, who averages 38 in 15 Tests with his last coming against Australia in December 2022, will be looking to bounce back from a rough season last year where he only scored 43 runs in four innings at 10.75.

McKenzie is coming off a promising tour of Australia that saw him produce scores of 50, 26, 21 and 41 against a superb Australia bowling attack and will be looking to score big runs for the Scorpions.

Leg-spinning all-rounder Abhijai Mansingh, whose performances with bat and ball last season saw him earn a call-up to the West Indies “A” team for their tour of South Africa, is also in the squad.

38-year-old Chadwick Walton, who last played first-class cricket in 2019, has also been named in the Scorpions squad as has former West Indies Under-19 Captain, Ramaal Lewis.

The Scorpions will open their campaign against the Windward Islands from February 7-10 at Sabina Park. They were last in last year's points table with 25.6 points.

Full Squad: Jermaine Blackwood (C), Nkrumah Bonner, Derval Green, Abhijai Mansingh, Peat Salmon, Jeavor Royal, Kirk McKenzie, Marquino Mindley, Gordon Bryan, Romaine Morris, Carlos Brown, Chadwick Walton, Ramaal Lewis

Blackwood hit the top score of 98 and the Scorpions batted consistently down the order to finish the day with a tidy advantage as the Scorpions closed on 260 for 6.

Blackwood shared stands of 52 with Paul Palmer for the third wicket and 58 with Oraine Williams for the fifth wicket to power the Scorpions’ innings.

Several others got starts, but they failed to carry on – Grenadian wicketkeeper/batsman Denis Smith, one of the Scorpions draft imports, was not out on 36; West Indies left-handed opener John Campbell, the Scorpions captain, made 35; Williams got 30 and Palmer added 21.

 West Indies off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall was the pick of the Hurricanes bowlers, taking 3-72 from 28 overs, and pacer Sheno Berridge captured 2-47 from 10 overs.

 Earlier, Hurricanes resumed from their overnight total of 215 for nine and were bowled out inside the first hour.

 Pacer Nicholson Gordon took the last wicket of Berridge for one and finished with 2-54 from 20.4 overs.

Jamaica Scorpions stamped their authority on their opening West Indies Championship encounter against Windward Islands Volcanoes, as they held a commanding 214-run lead at stumps on day two at Arnos Vale on Thursday.

Former West Indies Test vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood stamped his class with a determined century, while captain John Campbell struck an attacking half-century to propel the Jamaica Scorpions to a solid start on the opening day of their West Indies Championship clash against the Windward Islands Volcanoes at Arnos Vale on Wednesday.

The hosts began Friday’s day three 326-7 off 82 overs, leading by two runs with Peat Salmon (60*) and Derval Green (25*) at the crease.

They ended up adding a further 46 runs in 26.2 overs to finish 372 all out, leading by 48 runs.

Salmon added 21 to his overnight score to end up top scoring with 81 off 198 balls including eight fours and one six while Green ended up making a 38-ball 35.

Joshua Bishop was the pick of the Academy bowlers with 6-96 from his 33.2 overs.

The Academy were then bowled out for 281 in 74.1 overs leaving the Scorpions needing 234 to win on Saturday.

Carlon Bowen-Tuckett faced 132 balls for his 53 while Kadeem Alleyne got his second fifty of the contest with 52 off just 41 balls including six fours and three sixes.

Joshua James, Ashmead Nedd and Jordan Johnson also chipped in with 36, 30 and 26, respectively.

Abhijai Mansingh led the bowling for the hosts in the second innings with 4-70 off 14 overs while Peat Salmon provided good support with 3-55 from 24 overs.

Full Scores: West Indies Academy 324 all out off 82 overs (Joshua Dorne 83, Jordan Johnson 61, Kadeem Alleyne 52, Joshua James 36, Ojay Shields 3-28, Derval Green 3-38) & 218 all out off 74.1 overs (Carlon Bowen-Tuckett 53, Kadeem Alleyne 52, Joshua James 36, Ashmead Nedd 30, Abhijai Mansingh 4-70, Peat Salmon 3-55)

Jamaica Scorpions 372 all out off 108.1 overs (Peat Salmon 81, Brandon King 77, Leroy Lugg 64, Derval Green 35, Carlos Brown 33, Kirk McKenzie 29, Joshua Bishop 6-96, Kadeem Alleyne 2-29)