West Indies Championship

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.

In the recently concluded 2022/23 season of the West Indies Championship, the Scorpions failed to win a single game, finishing last with 25.6 points after recording four losses and a draw in five matches. This was following a fifth-place finish in the 2021-22 season.

The team was especially poor with the bat, scoring the second-lowest amount of runs in total in the season with 1803.

Individually, only two batsmen, Abhijai Mansingh with 248 and Leroy Lugg with 217, scored over 200 runs for the Scorpions. To put it in perspective, Alick Athanaze of the Windward Islands Hurricanes finished as top run-scorer with 647, 182 more runs than Jamaica’s two highest run-scorers combined.

It begs the question, what on earth has happened to the Scorpions batting in the longer format of the game?

“Aggression without proper selection and lack of a desire to bat long are two things that jumped out at me,” Jamaica Cricket Association CEO Courtney Francis told SportsMax.TV.

“The pride of playing for country, I am not seeing it. Even in dialogue with them, I don’t think they have an appreciation for what the sport has done for us as a people,” Francis added.

The Scorpions did start the year well, however, by winning the Regional Super50, their first since 2012 but, as Francis explains, that may have been detrimental to their hopes in the longer format.

“A significant number of the players who played that tournament were unavailable to play the 4-day tournament. We had persons playing at the highest level or playing all over the world,” he said.

“The significant influx of white-ball cricket,” is another reason for Jamaica’s downward spiral in the red-ball game according to Francis.

“If you notice, our players aren’t batting an extended number of overs. Some games are ending with a day to spare,” Francis added.

He went further, analysing a technical flaw he saw throughout the line-up.

“It seems like whenever the ball is bouncing, our batsmen don’t seem to cope with it properly. I am very confident that they would have had enough training. They’ve had the facilities here at Sabina Park and elsewhere,” he said.

Another contributing factor highlighted by Francis is the weakness of the Island’s premier two-day competition, the Senior Cup.

“Our Senior Cup competition is not competitive enough. In the Senior Cup, when certain teams play against certain teams, you might get a competitive game which is commendable but, there are a significant number of instances where games finish within a day and we’re not going anywhere with that. The transition from Senior Cup to first-class is not it,” said Francis before offering up a potential solution to that problem.

“In my view, we need to have a tier higher than the Senior Cup. I’ve recommended that we have the best 60 players in the country playing a four-team competition. You can hold trials to see who can get up there,” Francis added.

Francis then took issue with the complacency of contracted players, noting that their desire to improve seemingly dwindled after being rewarded.

“Persons who are on contracts now seem to not want to work hard enough because the contract is set for one year. If you notice, we have 15 persons on contract and of those 15 persons, maybe 40% of them did not feature in the Super50 and/or the West Indies Championship. That is something for us to take a different look at,” Francis said

“We can understand that persons are contracted from July so people may lose form and others come in for pay-for-play and stuff but that percentage is too high.

As selectors, coaches and administrators we have to come up with a different mechanism to ensure that we do not waste money. If you look at the numbers of a number of the players, we’re not getting a return on our investment” he added before noting that shorter term, incentive-based contracts may be the way forward to return Jamaica to winning ways in the longest format.

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.

Seales, who recently returned from injury, only required nine overs to secure his figures, which includes two maidens, on Wednesday’s opening day. The 22-year-old was assisted by fellow seamer Anderson Phillip, who took 3-63, and spinner Khary Pierre, with 2-16, in bowling West Indies Academy over for a paltry 163.

Teddy Bishop led West Indies Academy’s batting with 65, while Joshua Bishop, with an unbeaten 32, and Johann Layne (27), also offered some resistance.

Meanwhile, Vikash Mohan (54) gave Red Force a promising start, before they lost wickets in quick succession to end at 128-3. Jyd Goolie, on 15, and Amir Jangoo, on 24, will resume batting on Thursday, as Red Force are 35 runs away from first innings honours, with seven wickets intact.

Scores: West Indies Academy 163 all out (39 overs); Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 128-3 (48 overs) trail by 35 runs

After opting to bat first, West Indies Academy captain Nyeem Young, might have regretted the decision, as they lost their top order, as Seales and Phillip ripped through the top order with mere eight runs on the board.

Phillip accounted for Rashawn Worrell and Mbeki Joseph, both for naught, while Seales removed Kadeem Alleyne (eight). Teddy Bishop staged a fightback, as he smashed 12 boundaries in his 74-ball innings, and after watching wickets fall around him, he too eventually went, trapped in front by Pierre.

Joshua Bishop, with five boundaries in his unbeaten 50-ball 32, got some assistance from Layne, whose 23-ball cameo includes three maximums.

Red Force’s response started steadily, as Mohan and Cooper patiently got into their rhythm, before both were undone by the spin of Joshua Bishop. Mohan had 10 boundaries in his knock, and Cooper four.

Jason Mohammed failed to follow up his century in the first round, adding only five to the total before he was bowled by Ashmead Nedd, as the Academy bowlers made inroads into the innings. However, Goolie and Jangoo ensured there was no late excitement on the day.

First up, Goolie led the charge in helping the Red Force to a massive 409 all out, before Phillip was the main destroyer in restricting the Volcanoes to 173 and 152.

When the Red Force bat for the only time in the match, Goolie scored 128, to lead all scorers but was more than well supported by Imran Khan, 84, Kyle Hope, 54, and Jason Mohammed, 45, in putting together 409.

That 409 was made despite 5-60 from Preston McSween. Kenneth Dember toiled hard for his three wickets at a cost of 125 runs, while Ryan John took 1-85, and Obed McCoy took 1-77.

In reply, the Volcanoes could only manage 173 largely thanks to the veteran Devon Smith, who top scored with 67.

Phillip was the chief destroyer, bagging 4-53. Akeal Hosein, 2-27, and Khan, 2-6, provided wonderful support.

The Volcanoes follow on didn’t go any better, with Kerron Cottoy’s 35 accounting for the most runs against Phillip’s 6-19 in just 9.2 overs.

Phillip would end with a remarkable 10-72 in the match.

At the close of play, the Leewards are 64-2 in their second innings, a lead of 224 with eight wickets in hand.

Colin Archibald scored an unbeaten 106 as the Leewards compiled a score of 333 all out from 95.5 overs. Archibald’s knock rescued the Leewards from an uncomfortable 179-9 while sharing in a 10^th-wicket stand of 154 with Daniel Doram, who scored a patient 43.

Left-arm medium pacer Preston McSween was the pick of the Windwards bowlers with 5-92 from 27.5 overs. Kenneth Dember took 2-77.

Needing 334 to overhaul the Leewards’ total, the Windwards only lasted 55 overs and were bowled out for 173 thanks to Rahkeem Cornwall, who took 5-61 in 22 overs of his off-breaks. He was supported by fast-medium pacer Jeremiah Louis who returned figures of 3-26 from 14 overs.

Only Kerron Cottoy offered any real resistance to the Leewards’ attack with an unbeaten on 73 when the innings closed.

Opener Devon Smith, 35, Alick Athanaze, 12, and Denis Smith, 11, were the only other batters in double figures.

With a commanding lead of 160, the Leewards extended that lead beyond 200 runs by the close with Montcin Hodge (24) and Kieran Powell (18), the batsmen dismissed.

Ross Powell (14) and Devon Thomas (3) will resume their innings on Friday, hoping to put the match beyond the reach of the Windward Islands.

McSween (1-7) and Josh Thomas (1-12) were the wicket takers.

Athanaze scored 141 from 220 balls in an innings that included 16 fours.

Thanks mainly to Ronsford Beaton, the Windwards were in early trouble at 26-3 with Jerlani Robinson (4), Kimani Melius (2) and Kavem Hodge (14) all back in the hutch.

However, Athanaze, who was by then at the wicket, found himself a useful partner in Sunil Ambris.

Together, they put on 76 for the fourth wicket. After Ambris was bowled for 47 by Kevin Sinclair, Athanaze and Justin Greaves added 89 for the fifth wicket.

Greaves’ contribution was 21 when he was dismissed by Veerasammy Permaul. The biggest stand of the innings, 90, was to come between Athanaze and Ryan John before the former would eventually be dismissed by Permaul.

By then, the Windwards had recovered nicely to 290-7.

Ronsford Beaton has taken 2-50 was supported by Kevin Sinclair, who has figures pf 2-64 and Permaul 2-70

John was unbeaten on 50 when the rains came.

The Hurricanes began the day 271-6 off 90 overs with Karima Gore on 87 and James on 61.

Gore went on to make 93 off 198 balls including 13 fours and a six.

At lunch, they reached 338-7 off 116 overs with James on 96 and Jeremiah Louis on 18.

After the break, James carried on to bring up his maiden first-class ton before he was the second-to-last man to be dismissed, falling for 107 off 248 balls. Jeremiah Louis also made a valuable contribution with 45 as the Leewards declared their innings on 382-9 off 121.5 overs.

Shermon Lewis took 3-76 for the Volcanoes while new ball partner Preston McSween provided good support with 2-68.

At tea, the Windwards were 65-2 off 15 overs with in-form batsmen Kavem Hodge and captain Alick Athanaze at the crease on 33 and 21, respectively.

Athanaze and Hodge continued after tea, with the former bringing up his second hundred of the season, bringing his overall tally past 500 for the season. Hodge also brought up his third fifty of the season.

At Stumps, the Volcanoes were 206-2, trailing the Hurricanes by 176 runs with Athanaze and Hodge on 105 and 85, respectively.

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.

The Red Force started the day 51-3, needing 110 more runs to make the Pride bat again, and they got off to the worst possible start after Chase removed Jason Mohammed for 10 to leave the score at 55-4.

55-4 became 64-5 as opener Keagan Simmons was next to go for 31, caught off the bowling of Chase.

Yannic Cariah was the only other batsman to put up any resistance, finishing 35 not out as Joshua Da Silva (14), Imran Khan (2), Terrance Hinds (1), Uthman Muhammad (7), and Shannon Gabriel (8) all fell in quick succession to restrict the Red Force to 139 all out, condemning them to their second straight outright loss.

Chase took 3-26 from 12 overs while Akeem Jordan and Justin Greaves were also instrumental with 3-31 off 11.1 overs and 2-27 from nine overs, respectively.

Final scores: Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 133 and 139, Barbados Pride 294.

Coming into the final day’s play of their match against Windward Islands Volcanoes, the Bajans led the Leewards Islands Hurricanes on points.  Resuming the day on 109-1 the Pride batted out the final day without much event.  Barbados captain Kraigg Brathwaite scored 109 off 219 balls and ended the season as the leading runscorer in the tournament.  Brathwaite shared in a 95-run partnership with Roston Chase, who made 59 as the team ended on 285-6.

Elsewhere, Guyana Harpy Eagles opener Tevin Imlach put together a resolute half-century, in a predictable draw, as the heavily rain-affected West Indies Championship fixture against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force came to an end at Port of Spain.

Having lost the last two days due to the inclement weather, the Red Force resumed the day at 203 and only added another 10 before the last wicket pair were dismissed.

In their turn at the crease, the Harpy Eagles chased the score with conviction, and Imlach’s 76 from 172 formed the base of the innings.  The team, which ended with a score of 331 all out, also got valuable contributions from Kevin Sinclair, who had 58, and Veerasammy Permaul who scored 47.

For the Red Force, Bryan Charles and Terrance Hinds took three wickets each.  Batting again, Trinidad and Tobago were 25 for 1 at the close of play.  The day’s other match between the Leeward Island Hurricanes and Jamaica Scorpions was called off in the hour after the lunch break, because of persistent rainfall.

The Marooners closed Friday’s third day on 96-2 in their second innings, still 63 runs behind with eight wickets intact, as they were forced to follow-on after their first innings folded at 185. Shamarh Brooks, on 44, and Shatrughan Rambaran, on 15, will resume batting on Saturday’s final day.

Scores: Barbados Pride 344-8dec(72.2 overs); Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners 185 & 96-2 (37 overs)

Resuming on their overnight score of 10-1 in response to Pride’s massive total, the Marooners struggled to contend with the bowling of Jomel Warrican, Akeem Jordan and Chaim Holder, as their first innings crumbled early in the day.

Captain Jonathan Carter with a patient 131-ball 59, and Shaqkere Parris with a 108-ball 44, were the only batsmen to offer minimal resistance, with Demario Richards (28) the next best score.

Warrican grabbed 4-29 in 22.3 overs, while Holder and Jordan had 3-71 and 2-30 respectively.

Still 159 runs at that point, the Marooners would have hoped for a more compact batting display on the second occasion. But those hopes were dampened when Jordan and Holder again combined to remove the opening pair of Parris (five) and Kirstan Kallicharan (24) respectively.

However, Brooks and Rambaran remained composed to not only limit the damage, but also offer the Marooners another glimmer of hope of possibly seeing out the final day for a draw.

Elsewhere at Conaree Cricket Centre, in St Kitts, no play was again possible for a second straight day between Trinidad and Tobago Red Force and reigning champions Guyana Harpy Eagles. This was due to a waterlogged field following heavy rains on Thursday.

Scores: Trinidad & Tobago Red Force 215 for four (Jason Mohammed 100 not out, Tion Webster 50, Amir Jangoo 27, Vikash Mohan 20 not out; Ronsford Beaton 2-39, Veerasammy Permaul 2-42) vs Guyana Harpy Eagles.

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)

Batting first, the Hurricanes seemed set for a below-par total after losing wickets at regular intervals at the top of the order.  The top three of Montcin Hodge, Kieron Powell, and Ross Powell were removed with just 65 runs on the board.  Devon Thomas was next to go just two overs later and was, like Powell before him, bowled by the excellent McSween.

Jahmar Hamilton paired with Terrance Ward to add a respectable 47 for the 6^th wicket but the partnership came to an end when Hamilton was caught, attempting to pull Kenneth Dember.  Rahkeem Cornwall managed to add just one run before becoming McSween’s 3^rd wicket and the writing seemed on the wall when the bowler returned to pick up the valued wicket of Ward a few overs later.

Archibald’s brutal 104 from just 97 deliveries, at the bottom of the order, however, changed the complexion of the innings entirely.  At the close of play, the batsman remained not-out at the crease and was partnered by Daniel Doram on 17 from 69 deliveries.

Shai Hope, Shane Dowrich and Nicholas Kirton will captain the different sides which are named after Sir Charles Griffith, Sir Garfield Sobers and Sir Wes Hall.

The first match is from January 5-7, second is from January 10-12 and the third match is from 15-17. After those three, the Pride squad will play the best remaining players from the series in a four-day practice match from January 21-24.

Sir Charles Griffith Squad: Nicholas Kirton (Captain), Mikhail Austin, Joshua Bishop, Leniko Boucher, Jamaine Bullen, Rivaldo Clarke, Zidane Clarke, Joshua Drakes, Tauron Gibson, Keon Harding, Chaim Holder, Jarion Hoyte, Matthew Jones, Shayne Mosley, Shamar Springer, Craig St. Hill, Shanaldo Taylor, Kevin Wickham.

Sir Garfield Sobers Squad: Shai Hope (Captain), Marrodon Bend, Joshua DOrne, Jonathan Drakes, Jaden Edmund, Matthew Forde, Amari Goodridge, Chemar Holder, Javed Leacock, Jaden Lorde, Zachary McCaskie, Antonio Morris, Tariq O’Neale, Indal Persaud, Demario Richards, Demetrius Richards, Jomel Warrican, Rashawn Worrell.

Sir Wes Hall Squad: Shane Dowrich (Captain), Michael Agard, Kadeem Alleyne, Camarie Boyce, Shian Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter, Romario Greaves, Kyle Hope, Aaron Jones, Akeem Jordan, Johann Layne, Kalvin Marcus, Jair McAllister, Hakeem Perryman, Nathan Sealy, Kemar Smith, Akeem Springer, Nyeem Young.

Put into bat, Pride stumbled to 132 for five in the first hour after lunch on a rain-marred day.

But Mayers transformed the complexion of the innings with an array of meaty strokes to all parts of the ground to complete his second hundred of the season, against these same opponents, following his 106 in their first-round match at the Arnos Vale Cricket Ground in St. Vincent

The left-hander, playing for his home franchise after spending four seasons with the Volcanoes, built strong alliances with the lower order to drag the Pride from the precipice, gaining admirable support from Kevin Stoute and West Indies pacer Kemar Roach in successive half-century stands.

Mayers shared 92 with Stoute for the sixth wicket and put on a further 92 for the seventh wicket with Roach to frustrate the Volcanoes in between two brief stoppages for rain.

Stoute scored 46, Roach made 41, Justin Greaves added 38, left-handed opener Shayne Moseley got 36 and West Indies batsman Shamarh Brooks gathered 33.

Mayers’ innings carried him to the brink of becoming the first batsman this season to clear the 500-run mark. He needs only two more.

The expected return of Windies Test captain Jason Holder and fast bowler Kemar Roach are expected to provide a boost to the team fresh off a massive 148 runs loss to Trinidad and Tobago.  With seven matches played, the Pride who lead the standings with 116 points, 31 ahead of Guyana Amazon Warriors who played to a draw with the Leeward Islands Hurricanes.

“It is a big game (Guyana vs Barbados) and that is our big focus. We have to perform. The loss in Trinidad and Tobago was disappointing. We should have done better,” Pride head coach Emmerson Trotman to the Barbados Nation News.

“Trinidad utilised the conditions better than we did, but we have to put that behind us,” he added. 

The two have accounted for the last seven titles between them but it is the Jaguars that have claimed the trophy in ever edition since 2014.  In other matches of the round, Trinidad and Tobago Red Force will battle the Windward Islands Volcanoes at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad & Tobago, and the Leeward Islands Hurricanes will lock horns with the Jamaica Scorpions at the Viv Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua & Barbuda.

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.