Bonner’s ton stings Volcanoes

A third first-class century from Jamaica Scorpions middle-order batsman Nkrumah Bonner highlighted the opening day of the seventh-round West Indies Championship encounter against the Windward Islands Volcanoes at the Grenada National Stadium yesterday.

The right-hander was unbeaten on 131 as the Scorpions reached career-best 285 for three at stumps. Left-hander Paul Palmer Jr is the other not-out batsman on 65 as the Jamaicans won the toss and capitalised on the favourable batting surface.

Bonner’s patient 237-ball knock was highlighted by two-century partnerships, first with Jermaine Blackwood and then with Palmer Jr.

BAD START FOR Scorpions

The day, however, did not begin as well for the Scorpions, who lost both openers within the first 10 overs.

First, captain John Campbell drove seamer Preston McSween to mid-on and was caught by Kenneth Dember for 13 at 15 for one, then Alwyn Williams played on a McSween delivery for one to leave the visitors in early trouble at 16 for two in the eighth over.

Blackwood was then joined by Bonner, and the pair hunkered down to lift the Jamaicans out of the early slump.

Easy runs

They added 112 runs for the third wicket as both batsmen pretty much helped themselves to easy runs following some indifferent bowling from the Windward Islands bowlers.

Blackwood would get to his 40th first-class half-century; however, when he got to 68, he chipped one back to left-arm slow bowler Kaveem Hodge to leave the Jamaicans on 128 for three.

That would be the only other success that the Windwards would get on the day as former captain Palmer Jr joined Bonner and the pair continued to frustrate the Volcanoes bowlers with frequent rotation of the strike, coupled with occasional boundaries.

The unbroken fourth-wicket partnership has so far yielded 173 runs, with Bonner not out on 131 with 12 fours and two sixes.

Palmer Jr has so far hit seven fours in his unbeaten 160-ball 65-run tally.