Scorpions on brink of victory

A career-best seven-wicket haul from rookie off-spinner Pete Salmon has put the Jamaica Scorpions in a good position to pull off an unlikely win against the Guyana Jaguars heading into the final day of their Regional Four Day clash at Providence.

The Scorpions need just one wicket to win the match, as at stumps on day three, the Jaguars were 155 for nine, still needing 27 runs after being set 182 to win.

Veerasammy Permaul has been leading the fightback with an unbeaten 20, while Keon Joseph is not out on five.

Salmon bowled with precision and accuracy to pick up seven for 56 from 23 overs as the right-hander trapped four batsmen in front and bowled one.

Earlier, the Scorpions, who resumed on their overnight 50 for three in their second innings, lost wickets at regular intervals as they folded for another below-par score of 184.

It was another resilient batting display from right-hander Nkrumah Bonner that avoided total embarrassment for the visiting side, as his unbeaten knock of 57 spruced up the Scorpions scoring.

Bonner shared in two useful partnerships. First, he put on 46 runs for the seventh wicket with Derval Green who made 19 and then added 45 runs for the ninth wicket with Jamie Merchant who got 26.

Left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul picked up six for 50 to add to his four wickets in the first innings.

Set 182 to win, Salmon, who opened the bowling, began the fightback as he had opener Chanderpaul Hemraj caught for 13 with just 16 runs on the board.

Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Leon Johnson added 33 runs for the second wicket, but Salmon struck again when he had Chanderpaul trapped in front for 12.

The very next over Jamie Merchant came to the party, as he sent back Leon Johnson for 19 to leave the hosts in trouble at 49 for three.

Salmon continued to keep up the pressure on the Guyanese batters as he removed Vishaul Singh for a duck and Christopher Barnwell for 12 to have the hosts in tatters at 62 for five.

Anthony Bramble and Raymon Reifer steadied the nerves of the home side with a 47-run sixth-wicket partnership, but when spinner Patrick Harty Jr had Bramble leg before wicket for 36, a victory for the Scorpions was looking more and more likely at 109 for six.

Salmon then went in for the kill and picked up three more wickets to leave the Jaguars purring at 130 for nine. But Permaul and last man Keon Joseph stubbornly added 25 runs and batted through to the close to leave the home team needing 27 runs to win the match.