Scorpions battle to 320-8 on opening day

DERVAL Green and Dennis Bulli combined for an unbroken 90-run ninth-wicket stand, to put the Jamaican Scorpions in a comfortable position at the end of the opening day of the seventh round Cricket West Indies Regional Four-day encounter against the Guyana Jaguars here, yesterday.

Green struck his highest first-class score, to remain unbeaten on 59 while all-rounder Bulli is on 30, as the visitors closed on 320 for eight.

Several other Scorpions batsmen got starts but failed to carry on. Stroke-maker Brandon King produced a fighting 51, while former West Indies batsman Jermaine Blackwood, Kenroy Williams, Paul Palmer and Assad Fudadin, all gathered scores of 44, 33, 29 and 23 respectively but the visitors proved their own worst enemy, squandering the advantage every time they looked poised to take early control of the innings.

Medium pacer Sherfane Rutherford was impressive, leading the four-time defending champions’ attack with three for 52 while left-arm spinners Veerasammy Permaul had 2-52 and Gudakesh Motie 2-70. Pacer Romario Shepherd was the other successful bowler with 1-55.

At the start of the day’s play, a chilly, overcast weather had prompted the Jaguars captain Leon Johnson to make first use of the favourable bowling conditions after winning the toss.
The innings was delayed by two stoppages due to rain but Jaguars bowlers, especially Shepherd made full use of the overcast conditions, bowling an impeccable line and length to extract some movements off the pitch.

Oraine Williams, playing in his sixth first-class games, was the first to go when he was lured into a full-length delivery from Shepherd that moved off the seam and edged a comfortable catch to Johnson at first slip for ten, at 13-1.

Chadwick Walton, in a cautious start, was then joined by King, and the duo took the score to 48 during another testing passage of play. Permaul checked their progress, by dismissing the right-handed Walton for 14, caught off an outside edge by Johnson at first slip, before rain forced the players off the field for an early lunch.

Upon resumption, King, the 24-year-old, and Blackwood battled with ease during their 46-run stand. The right-handed King reached his eighth first-class half-century off 84 balls, counting eight fours and a six off Motie.

However, the game then changed decisively in the hosts’ favour with four quick wickets. King’s patience waned as Rutherford, coming for a first spell, bowled him with a beauty to end his resistance. Rutherford then followed with the dismissal of Guyanese Fudadin, who now ply his trade with the Scorpions.

The left-hander struck five sweetly-timed boundaries in his 23 before he lobbed a simple catch to Shepherd at mid-off. Blackwood, who faced 65 deliveries and struck six fours, then gave Rutherford his third wicket, edging to the slip corridor.

Permaul removed Rovman Powell (17), and by tea, the visitors were 193-6. The partnership between Palmer and Williams continued for a short period into the afternoon session, as they staged a 56-run, seventh-wicket stand before both were taken at the wicket off Motie.

Towards the end, Green and Bulli played positively, taking their team past the 300-run mark with the right-handed Green reaching his third fifty at this level from just 48 balls with four fours and two sixes.

SCOREBOARD
O. Williams c Johnson b Shepherd 10
C. Walton c Johnson b Permaul 14
B. King b Rutherford 51
J. Blackwood c Barnwell b Rutherford 44
A. Fudadin c Shepherd b Rutherford 23
P. Palmer c Bramble b Motie 29
R. Powell c Rutherford b Permaul 17
K. Williams c Bramble b Motie 33
D. Green not out 59
D. Bulli not out 30
Extras: (4-b, 2-w, 4-nb) 10
Total: (eight wickets, 90 overs) 320
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-48, 3-94, 4-132, 5-144, 6-172, 7-228, 8-230.
Bowling: Shepherd 16-4-55-1, Reifer 18-5-46-0, Permaul 15-3-52-2, Motie 20-2-70-2, Rutherford 10-2-52-3, Barnwell 8-3-14-0, Johnson 3-0-27-0.