(CMC) – Paul Palmer notched his sixth straight score of over fifty to prop up Jamaica Scorpions, but Windward Islands Volcanoes pressed home their advantage to continue their enterprising start to the new Regional Four-Day Championship here yesterday.
Replying to Volcanoes’ first innings of 387, Scorpions stumbled their way to 203 for seven at the close at Sabina Park, still 184 runs adrift of their target.

At one stage, the hosts were tottering on 57 for four but Palmer stepped up with 54 while lower order batsman Derval Green chipped in with a precious unbeaten 50, to help rally the innings.

Most of the damage was done by the fast bowling pair of Josh Thomas (2-34) and Sherman Lewis (2-52) – spells which gave Volcanoes a stranglehold on the game.
Emmanuel Stewart had earlier made 50 – his second half-century in three outings – while Keron Cottoy made 47 as Volcanoes lost their last five wickets for 73 runs.

The pair extended their sixth-wicket stand to 90 before they were separated when Stewart, on 46 at the start, was bowled by fast bowler Marquino Mindley (2-87).
Shane Shillingford then entertained with a couple of fours and sixes in a 34-ball 27 in a 30-run, partnership with Cottoy, to push Volcanoes up to their eventual score.
Left-arm spinner Patrick Harty (3-65) and pacer Green (3-73) finished with three wickets apiece.

Scorpions benefitted from a 28-run opening stand between captain John Campbell (19) and fellow left-hander Assad Fudadin (7), before losing three quick wickets for three runs in the space of 19 balls.

Palmer, who faced 103 balls in just under 2-½ hours and counted eight fours, then put on 26 for the fourth wicket with Nkrumah Bonner (11) before posting an important 60 for the fifth with Aldaine Thomas (12).

When both fell in the space of four balls with a single run added, Green rescued the innings first in a 41-run seventh-wicket stand with Jamie Merchant (21) then in a 44-run, unbroken eighth-wicket partnership with Mindley (13 not out).
Green has so far struck six fours in a brisk 69-ball innings.