Rampant Scorpions too good for CCC

The Jamaica Scorpions pulled off one of their best recent displays with the ball to secure a massive 10-wicket win over the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) on day three of their West Indies Championship encounter at Sabina Park yesterday.

On a day of enterprising cricket which saw the home side post 331 all out after resuming on 259 for six, and with a 24-run lead, the Jermaine Blackwood-led side rattled the CCC batting in the second innings and dismissed them for a mere 87 runs.

The Scorpions then made light work of the run-chase and got to 69 without loss with Chadwick Walton unbeaten on 46 and Carlos Brown not out on 19.

It all started from the morning session with the Scorpions trailing on first innings by 48 runs and had to bank on a quickfire 45 from 44 balls from all-rounder Peat Salmon to erase the deficit and post a valuable lead of 24 runs.

Leg-spinner Zishan Motara starred with the ball for the College men with a career-best seven wickets for 108 runs.

That lead would be crucial to the outcome as the College men completely capitulated in their second knock which ultimately set up the win for the hosts.

After going into lunch at 16 for one, pacer Gordon Bryan produced a remarkable spell of seam bowling to start the demolition job of the CCC batters who fell like bowling pins one after the other.

Bryan removed the heart of the CCC batting by sending back Shamarh Brooks for 12, Shatrughan Rambaran for one and first-innings centurion and captain Jonathan Carter for a duck to leave the College men on 34 for four.

Opener Kirstan Kallicharan got to 28 with five fours, but he became the first of four wickets for off-spinner Salmon who ran rings around the remaining batters.

Salmon finished with four wickets for just 12 runs in seven overs with Bryan ending with three for 19. Leg-spinner Abhijai Mansingh chipped in with two for 34.

Needing 64 to win, the Scorpions openers Walton and Brown got the licence to go at the paltry score and they made light work of the total. Walton hit six fours and two sixes in his knock of 46 to add to his first-innings century. Brown also got three fours in his unbeaten 19.

Winning captain Jermaine Blackwood was elated that the all-around team effort was good enough to break the Scorpions’ 13-game losing streak in first-class cricket.

“I must give credit to our batting and bowling unit who came to the party and special commendation must be given to Chadwick Walton who showed his true class,” said Blackwood.

Assistant coach of the CCC team, Pedro Collins, lamented what was a poor second-innings batting display which cost the team the game.

“Our batting in the second innings was a big let-down on a wicket that was still good for batting. I thought we tried to rush it a bit but these are young guys and I believe they will learn from their mistakes and regroup,” Collins said.