The Jamaica Scorpions backed up their tidy batting performance with a fiery bowling display to seize early control of their sixth-round West Indies Championship clash against hosts Trinidad and Tobago Red Force at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Thursday.
However, a late evening fightback from the Red Force ensured that the contest remains delicately poised heading into a pivotal third day under lights.
Powered by a career-best, unbeaten 140 from all-rounder Javelle Glenn, the Scorpions posted a formidable first innings total of 372. Glenn's 234-ball masterpiece, laced with 12 fours and four sixes, came with equal measures of grit and flair, as he anchored the innings from day one through to the tail.
When the Scorpions turned to the ball, their bowlers responded with venom. Seamers Marquino Mindley (3-37), Ojay Shields (2-32), and leg-spinning revelation Abhijai Mansingh (3-41) carved through the Red Force batting, as they dismissed the hosts for a paltry 171 in 44.2 overs and gave the Jamaicans a commanding 201-run first innings lead.
But just when the Scorpions seemed to have full command of proceedings, the Red Force counterpunched. In a hostile late spell under lights, Shannon Gabriel rolled back the years with a fiery burst as he removed Scorpions captain John Campbell (one) and Jermaine Blackwood (zero), while Joshua James accounted for the talented Kirk McKenzie (four) to leave the visitors teetering at 7-3 in their second innings.
At stumps, Jamaica were 20-3, holding a lead of 221 with Brandon King on nine and first innings hero Glenn on two — the latter once again called upon to steer the ship through turbulent waters.
Scores: Jamaica Scorpions 372 & 20-3; Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 171
Earlier in the day, resuming on 274-6, Glenn and overnight partner Mansingh extended their seventh-wicket stand to 148 before Mansingh (67) edged Joshua James and was caught behind. The lower order then chipped in aggressively — Odean Smith bludgeoned 16 off 14, Mindley smacked 11 off five, and Shields offered solid support with 12 — as Glenn pushed on with confidence, farming the strike expertly in a 40-run final wicket stand.
James finished with 3-40 while tournament-leading wicket-taker Khary Pierre added 3-87 to his tally.
The Red Force reply was immediately derailed. Mindley removed Cephas Cooper and Kamil Pooran for ducks in the first over, and Amir Jangoo followed for nine. Smith then uprooted Jason Mohammed’s stumps for 10, and Shields castled Pierre for one, with the home side at 30-5.
Only skipper Joshua Da Silva stood tall amid the collapse, as he produced a determined 86 from 119 balls, peppered with 14 crisp fours and two sixes. He stitched together brief partnerships with Terrence Hinds (29), Joshua James (eight), and later Shannon Gabriel and Yannic Cariah to drag his side to a somewhat respectable 171. But it was far from enough.
That fightback began almost immediately. Gabriel, operating with venom on a lively evening pitch, ripped through the top order. He trapped Campbell (one) and Blackwood (zero) in quick succession. James then found McKenzie's edge for four, and suddenly, the Scorpions’ dominant position looked far less certain.
The visitors will resume on Friday with King and Glenn tasked with stabilizing the innings and building a target they can defend.