McCarthy, King lead the way for Scorpions

Solid half-centuries from Andre McCarthy and season debutant Brandon King highlighted the first day of the fourth-round WICB/Digicel First-Class Championship clash between Jamaica Scorpions and Trinidad and Tobago Red Force at Sabina Park yesterday.

McCarthy, who recently returned from Sri Lanka with the West Indies 'A' team, scored a patient top-score of 82, while the attacking King, a former West Indies Under-19 representative, hit a boundary-filled 78, as the Scorpions, winning the toss and electing to bat, posted an improved 314 in their first innings.

The Red Force, in their response, closed on 35 for two at the close of play.

Heading into the match with scores of 36, two, one, one and 22, and one of several Scorpion batsmen who have been struggling to make their mark, the 29-year-old McCarthy struck five fours and six sixes off 137 balls.

King, in the meantime, has been a consistent performer in local competitions but has also been struggling to make the first team. Yesterday, he found his best form and slammed 10 fours and three sixes off a mere 87 balls.

The pair also put on a stand of 139 runs for the fourth wicket, the highest of the innings. The second highest was that of the second wicket between McCarthy and number three batter Jermaine Blackwood, who made 34. They put on 61 for the second wicket.

SPECIALIST BATSMEN

The other specialist batsmen, openers John Campbell and Shacaya Thomas, made 33 and 11, respectively, while wicketkeeper Devon Thomas, batting at number six, got seven.

The Red Force were led in the field by promising all-rounder Roshon Primus, who, bowling seamers, claimed three wickets for 32 runs off nine overs.

He was supported by Jamaica-born left-arm fast bowler Sheldon Cottrell, and another West Indies returnee, part-time off-spinner Jason Mohammed, who picked up two wickets each.

The Red Force, in their turn at bat, and after facing 5.2 overs, were then jolted in late afternoon by leg-spinner Damion Jacobs, who, after 1.2 overs has figures of two for seven.

Emerging West Indies batsman Kyle Hope will resume today on 15 when play starts at 10 a.m.

SCOREBOARD

SCORPIONS 1st Innings

J. Campbell c Hope b Primus 33

S. Thomas c wk Katwaroo b Primus 11

J. Blackwood c wk Katwaroo b Primus 34

A. McCarthy lbw b Mohammed 82

B. King c Cariah b Cottrell 78

+D. Thomas c Ottley b Cottrell 7

R. Powell b Mohammed 1

D. Jacobs lbw b Imran Khan 25

*N. Miller c wk Katwaroo b Imran Khan 11

D. Green c wk Katwaroo b Richards 9

R. Leveridge not out 0

Extras (b12, lb2, w2, nb7) 23

Total (all out, 78.4 overs) 314

Fall of wickets: 1-31, 2-56, 3-117, 4-256, 5-265, 6-268, 7-269, 8-299, 9-310, 10-314.

Bowling: Cottrell 13-4-42-2 (w1, nb1), Richards 11.4-2-47-1, Primus 9-3-32-3 (w1, nb3), Jagessar 9-0-64-0 (nb1), Imran Khan 22-5-74-2, Ottley 6-1-25-0, Mohammed 8-2-16-2.

RED FORCE 1st innings

K. Hope not out 15

I. Rajah c wkp Thomas b Jacobs 9

M. Richards lbw b Jacobs 0

Extras (b4, nb2, pen5) 11

Total (2 wkts, 5.2 overs) 35

To bat: J Mohammed, Y Cariah, *Y Ottley, +S Katwaroo, R Primus, Imran Khan, J Jagessar, S Cottrell.

Fall of wickets: 1-35, 2-35.

Bowling: Leveridge 2-0-4-0, Green 1-0-13-0, Jacobs 1.2-0-7-2, Miller 1-0-2-0.

Toss: Scorpions.

Position: Red Force trail by 279 runs with eight wickets intact.

Umpires: V Smith, G Brathwaite.