Blackwood, Campbell blow away Hurricanes

A magnificent display of batting lead by unbeaten centuries from Jermaine Blackwood and John Campbell helped the Jamaica Scorpions to dominate the second day of their West Indies Championship match against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes in Antigua and Barbuda yesterday.

At stumps, the visiting Scorpions were in a commanding position at 413 for four, a lead of 153 runs, thanks to an unbeaten 196 from Jermaine Blackwood and 105 not out from John Campbell.

The career-best innings from Blackwood was one that had been on the cards for the pint-sized right-hander who batted all day while sharing in two-century partnerships to put the Scorpions in the formidable position.

First, Blackwood shared in a 126-run second-wicket stand with Nkrumah Bonner after the pair had resumed on their overnight 47 for one replying to the Leewards first innings score of 260.

Bonner would be the first wicket to fall on the day after lunch when he was quizzically run out after a mix-up or a well-played 48 with the score on 166 for two.

Blackwood continued to bat resolutely and shared in another 50-run partnership with Andre McCarthy who went on to get 27 before he went caught off Kian Pemberton to leave the visitors on 216 for 4.

That would be the only respite that the Hurricanes would get on the day, as Blackwood and John Campbell, who returned after retiring hurt on 22, put on a whopping season's best 197-run unbroken fifth-wicket partnership which knocked all the wind out of the Hurricanes.

When Blackwood got to 147, he surpassed his previous best first-class score. When stumps were drawn, he was just four runs shy of his first-ever double century at the regional level. He has so far hit 26 fours and two sixes.

Campbell, who got to his fifth first-class century, has so far hit seven fours and three sixes in his unbeaten 105 as the Scorpions piled up 413 for four with six wickets in hand and two days to play.