Two late wickets from Rakheem Cornwall put the Leeward Islands Hurricanes slightly in the driver’s seat in their West Indies Championship fixture against the Jamaica Scorpions after Thursday’s day two at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.
The Hurricanes started the day on 163-6 with Cornwall on 29 and Jeremiah Louis on 17. Cornwall failed to add to his overnight score when he was dismissed by Abhijai Mansingh in the second over of the day.
Louis then continued on, providing some much-needed stability to the innings, eventually bringing up his fourth first class fifty off 140 balls.
Forced to bat with the tail, Louis became more aggressive, making his next 28 runs off just 31 balls to finish not out on 78, his highest score in first class cricket.
Hayden Walsh Jr (13) and Collin Archibald (17) also formed important partnerships with Louis down the stretch as the Hurricanes were eventually bowled out for 260 in 118-3 overs.
Marquino Mindley, who recently made his Test debut against Australia, led the way with the ball for the Scorpions with 3-29 from 19.3 overs while Mansingh took 3-47 from 20 overs.
In reply, Scorpions openers Leroy Lugg and Kirk McKenzie saw off the new ball well, reaching 60 in the 14th over before McKenzie became Colin Archibald’s first victim for 18.
Aggressive from the outset, Lugg brought up his second first class fifty off just 39 balls in the 15th over with a huge six off Rakheem Cornwall.
One wicket became two very quickly as Archibald removed Jamaica’s number three Romaine Morris for two in the 18th over.
Jamaica lost their third wicket when Cornwall trapped Aldane Thomas in front for four in the 23rd over, bringing Captain Paul Palmer Jr to the crease.
At tea, the Scorpions were 97-3 from 23 overs with Lugg on 73 and Palmer Jr yet to score.
After the resumption, Lugg was able to add only six runs to his total before Hayden Walsh Jr tempted him into a false shot and got his wicket.
Palmer Jr and new batsman Mansingh then added 72 runs for the fifth wicket before the skipper became Cornwall’s second victim, falling for 47 in the 57th over. Cornwall got his second wicket of the over when he bowled Jamie Merchant for a duck to leave the Scorpions 185-6.
The Jamaicans added just one more run before stumps, ending the day on 186-6, trailing the Hurricanes by 74 runs. Mansingh ended the day on 34 while Gordon Bryan is yet to get off the mark.
Scores: Leeward Islands Hurricanes 260 off 118.3 overs (Jeremiah Louis 78*, Jahmar Hamiton 40, Marquino Mindley 3-29, Abhijai Mansingh 3-47) Jamaica Scorpions 186-6 off 60 overs (Leroy Lugg 79, Paul Palmer Jr 47, Abhijai Mansingh 34*, Rakheem Cornwall 3-47, Colin Archibald 2-37).