ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC):
The Jamaica Scorpions and the Leeward Islands Hurricanes are both in strong positions to push for victories, while the defending champs, Guyana Harpy Eagles, are in the ascendancy against the Barbados Pride after the close of play on the second day of the opening round of matches in the West Indies Championship yesterday.
The Scorpions routed the Volcanoes for just 195 runs and have already established a lead of 214 runs, while the Hurricanes already lead the West Indies Academy by 347 runs.
At Arnos Vale: After starring with the bat, Jermaine Blackwood returned to do damage with the ball, picking up three wickets to give the Jamaica Scorpions a handy 142-run first-innings lead against the Windward Islands Volcanoes.
Blackwood added just eight runs to his overnight score of 101 as the Scorpions, resuming on 291 for seven, were eventually dismissed for 337.
Darel Cyrus (2-26), Gilon Tyson (2-66), and Darius Martin (2-74) were the pick of the Volcanoes’ bowlers.
Delivering his medium pace, Blackwood then snared three of the first four Volcanoes wickets to fall to trigger a collapse that saw the home side slip from 46 without loss to 67 for four.
Shadrack Descarte scored 34, and Ryan John added 46 to help bolster the Volcanoes’ total, but they still fell well short of the Scorpions’ first-innings total.
Blackwood ended with 3-37, while Odean Smith captured 3-55.
Kirk McKenzie then finished unbeaten on 36, and Carlos Brown scored 30 to give the Scorpions a good start in their second innings, and they ended the day on 72 for one, a lead of 214 runs.
At the Brian Lara Cricket Academy: Jason Mohammed and Jyd Goolie both scored centuries as the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force declared their innings at a massive 504 for six against the Combined Colleges and Campuses (CCC).
Mohammed cracked 176 from 276 balls, Goolie made 121 from 198 balls, and the two added 227 runs for the third wicket to frustrate the CCC for the majority of the day’s play.
And when Goolie was dismissed to make the score 386 for three, Mohammed posted another 44 runs with Yannic Cariah and 49 with Tion Webster, who both made 22.
The CCC were 69 for one at the close.
At the Coolidge Cricket Ground: The Leeward Islands Hurricanes are in a prime position to push for victory on today’s third day, having ended the day with a mammoth 347-run lead over the West Indies Academy.
The Hurricanes added 68 runs to their overnight total of 290 for six to be all out for 358, with left-arm spinner Joshua Bishop taking three of those wickets to end with the impressive figures of 7-85.
Jahmar Hamilton scored 81 after resuming the day on 67, and Rahkeem Cornwall lashed 49 from just 42 balls for the Hurricanes.
The WI Academy then produced a woeful batting effort, with only three batsmen getting into double digits, to be dismissed for 145.
Carlon Bowen-Tuckett top scored with 34, and Rivaldo Clarke made 29, but the WI Academy was undone by pacer Cameron Pennyfeather and the off-spin of Cornwall, with both taking three wickets.
Jewel Andrew then hit a quickfire 57, and the Hurricanes ended on 134 for four to further extend their advantage.
At the Guyana National Stadium: Guyana Harpy Eagles trail Barbados Pride by 31 runs with seven wickets remaining.
Pride 346 in 84.3 overs (Matthew Forde 82, Jonathan Drakes 70, Zachary McCaskie 64; Richie Looknauth 4-69, Ronaldo Alimohamed 2-37).
Harpy Eagles 315-3 in 87 overs (Kemol Savory 95 not out, Kevlon Anderson 87 not out, Raymond Perez 46).