King's 65 leads Scorpions fightback for two-wicket win over WI Academy; Hurricanes down Marooners by three wickets

By Sports Desk March 16, 2024
Brandon King Brandon King file

Jamaica Scorpions registered their second win of the West Indies Championship campaign, as they downed West Indies Academy by two wickets on Saturday’s final day of their intriguing four-day encounter at Sabina Park.

Chasing 234 runs for victory, after they bowled out the academy team moments before scheduled close of play on Friday, the Scorpions were found wanting at 89-5 at lunch, with West Indies Test batsman Kirk McKenzie (47) and former captain Jermaine Blackwood (27) the only players to offer little resistance at that point.

However, captain Brandon King and Abhijai Mansingh staged a recovery mission to push the Scorpions to 176-6 at tea. Both batsmen were watchful in their respective knocks, as King topscored with 65 from 127 balls, including five boundaries, while Mansingh also had five boundaries in his 132-ball 42.

With less than 50 runs to get after that solid partnership was broken, Derval Green with an unbeaten 20 and Jeavor Royal, unbeaten on 18, completed the victory shortly before close.

The academy team’s pair of left-arm finger spinners Joshua Bishop and Ashmead Nedd ended with 4-79 and 3-95, respectively.

With the win, the Scorpions moved to 50.2 points in third behind Windward Islands Volcanoes (66.4 points) and Leeward Islands Hurricanes (64.2 points).

Barbados Pride (48.2 points), Trinidad and Tobago Red Force (47.2 points) and Guyana Harpy Eagles (46.2 points), come next, while West Indies Academy (30.8 points) and Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners (20.8 points), at the foot of the standings.

Scores: West Indies Academy 324 (Joshua Dorne 83, Jordan Johnson 61, Kadeem Alleyne 52, Joshua James 36, Rashawn Worrell 25, Carlon Bowen-Tuckett 24; Ojay Shields 3-38, Derval Green 3-48, Abhijai Mansingh 2-69) and 281 (Carlton Bowen-Tuckett 53, Kadeem Alleyne 52, Joshua James 36, Ashmead Nedd 30, Jordan Johnson 26, Johann Layne 22 not out, Nyeem Young 21; Abhijai Mansingh 4-70, Peat Salmon 3-55)

Jamaica Scorpions 372 (Peat Salmon 81, Brandon King 77, Leroy Lugg 64, Derval Green 35, Carlos Brown 33, Kirk McKenzie 29; Joshua Bishop 33.2-7-96-6, Kadeem Alleyne 2-29) and 236 for eight (Brandon King 65, Kirk McKenzie 47, Abhijai Mansingh 42, Jermaine Blackwood 27, Derval Green 20 not out; Joshua Bishop 4-79, Ashmead Nedd 3-95).

Meanwhile, Leeward Islands Hurricanes were also victorious, as they defeated Combined Campuses & Colleges Marooners by three wickets at Frank Worrell Field in Trinidad and Tobago.

Scores: Combined Campuses & Colleges Marooners 273 (Amari Goodridge 75, Sadique Henry 73, Romario Greaves 58, Yannick Ottley 24; Daniel Doram 4-37, Jeremiah Louis 3-54, Rahkeem Cornwall 3-86) and 301 (Yannic Ottley 99, Odain McCatty 37, Sadique Henry 32, Zishan Motara 30, Roshon Primus 23; Rahkeem Cornwall 4-62, Jeremiah Louis 3-59).

Leeward Islands Hurricanes 259 (Kieran Powell 114, Jeremiah Louis 31, Justin Greaves 29, Rahkeem Cornwall 22, Jahmar Hamilton 21; Romario Greaves 19.2-1-63-5, Zishan Motara 2-14, Jediah Blades 2-50) and 319 for seven (Keacy Carty 61, Justin Greaves 61, Rahkeem Cornwall 42 not out, Jeremiah Louis 30, Jahmar Hamilton 28; Jediah Blades 3-50, Zishan Motara 3-71).

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    Sri Lanka's spin-heavy attack, led by debutant Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, and captain Charith Asalanka, tied the West Indians in knots to level the three-match series at one game apiece.

    Wellalage proved especially destructive with 3-9 from his four overs, while Asalanka (2-6), Theekshana (2-7), and Hasaranga (2-32) shared six wickets between them. Seamer Matheesha Pathirana accounted for the other wicket.

    Chase, who himself thrives as an all-rounder, emphasized the importance of quick adaptation, especially in the conditions they are likely to encounter again in the decisive contest on Thursday.

    “Obviously, we have to probably bring out the sweep a bit more, probably reverse sweep and conventional sweep a bit more, and just try to work the ball a bit more for longer and then try to power the ball in the backend,” Chase reasoned.

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    A few dropped catches and misfields also aided Sri Lanka along the way, leaving the West Indies under added pressure when they took to the crease.

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    Knight led from the front with 21 off just 13 balls but was then retired hurt in the 13th over.
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    Still, West Indies were far from their best in the field, as dropped chances by Roston Chase and Gudakesh Motie, as well as misfields from Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph, allowed Sri Lanka to gain crucial extra runs.

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