BASSETERRE, St Kitts, (CMC) – Assad Fudadin and Andre McCarthy fell just short of hundreds while Rovman Powell blasted a whirlwind half-century as Jamaica Scorpions notched their first win of the Regional Super50 Cup with a comprehensive 97-run victory over reigning champions CCC Marooners.

In an authoritative batting display at Warner Park on Tuesday, Scorpions piled up the tournament’s highest score to date when they marched to 330 for eight off their 50 overs.

Opener Assad Fudadin, fresh off a century against Leeward Islands Hurricanes last Sunday, stroked 92 off 123 deliveries while McCarthy, at number four, struck a hasty 91 from a mere 63 balls.

Powell set the innings alight in the middle overs with a 34-ball 57 but opener Aldaine Thomas missed out on a half-century with 48.

Akeem Jordan again bowled with pace to claim three for 72 while left-arm spinner Akshaya Persaud chipped in with two for 66.

Scorpions then survived a scare when Romaine Morris lashed an up tempo 96 off 85 balls in an exciting opening stand of 119 off 138 deliveries with Paul Palmer (30), as Marooners made a daring attempt at the daunting target.

But once the partnership was broken, not even captain Carlos Brathwaite (8), in for his first game of the campaign, could rescue the run chase as Marooners subsided to 233 all out in the 46th over.

West Indies fast bowler Oshane Thomas spearheaded the attack with three for 25 while left-arm spinner Dennis Bulli supported with three for 44.

The win put Scorpions alongside Marooners on four points but ahead in third by virtue of a superior net run rate.

Fudadin provided the early momentum, hitting 11 fours and a six in a 101-run first wicket stand with Thomas who also showed plenty enterprise with seven fours and a six in a 40-ball knock.

The left-handed Fudadin, who reached his fifty off 73 balls in the 19th over, put on a further 37 for the second wicket with Jermaine Blackwood (15) and 53 off 46 balls for the third with McCarthy.

Fudadin looked set for a second straight hundred when he walked across his stumps and was hit in front by Persaud in the 34th over.

McCarthy and Powell then launched a savage assault in a 114-run, fourth wicket stand off 73 balls to accelerate the innings.

Already with a score of 95 against Barbados Pride last Friday, McCarthy belted eight fours and five sixes while Powell, with previous scores of one and five, tasted form with three fours and five sixes.

By the time Powell miscued a pull at Jordan and was taken by Brathwaite running around to short cover, the damage had been done.

Marooners still made a fist of it, however, Morris blasting 14 fours and a six as he and Palmer, who counted a four and a six, injected some nerves into the Scorpions camp early in the run chase.

Left-hander Morris raced to his fifty off 47 balls in the 15th over and Marooners passed triple figures in the 19th over when Palmer lifted off-spinner McCarthy to the cover boundary.

But things fell apart quickly. Palmer missed a swing at a full toss from leg-spinner Nkrumah Bonner and was lbw at the end of the 23rd over and danger man Morris followed at the start of the 28th over, cutting Bulli to point.

Once Jonathan Drakes was bowled by Bulli for 14 in the 32nd over, the innings lost momentum and the last eight wickets tumbled for 80 runs.