Jamaica Scorpions captain Paul Palmer Jr does not believe the loss against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes should been seen as a huge defeat given that the Eastern Caribbean outfit has a number of good players in their line-up.
The Leewards, bottom of the six-team tournament, defeated Jamaica - who sat in third position heading into the contest - by 85 runs at the Sir Viv Richards Stadium in Antigua at the weekend, in the sixth round of the WICB Regional First-Class Championship.
"I wouldn't say it's a big loss," said Palmer Jr, shortly after the team's return yesterday.
"The team is in transition, so it will never be easy to win games continuously or to come out on top in every game.
"Likewise, the teams playing in this competition are good teams with quality players.
"I just think Leeward Islands played better on the day than us. That is all."
Asked to bat first, the Hurricanes were bundled out for 155 in their first innings, to which the Scorpions replied with 158.
Spearheaded by an unbeaten knock of 130 by wicketkeeper Jahmar Hamilton and 72 from opener Montcin Hodge, the Nkrumah Bonner-captained Leewards went on to post 368 for eight in their second time at bat.
Set a victory target of 365, Jamaica were dismissed for 280, despite a defiant knock of 93 by Kirk Edwards.
Top Jamaican batsmen Jermaine Blackwood, Devon Thomas, Andre McCarthy and John Campbell, made 21, 15, 22 and eight, respectively, in the victory chase.
The defeat represented revenge for the Leewards, who lost at Sabina Park in the first half of the tournament.
It was also the second time in as many matches the Scorpions were losing away to the Hurricanes, having suffered defeated in St Kitts and Nevis last season.
"We know what we did wrong," highlighted Paul Palmer Jr, whose wretched run of form continued in the match with scores of one and 15.
"We know the mistakes we made. We identified them, (primarily) in the second innings where we dropped catches.
"Hamilton, who made a hundred, he was dropped twice, on 30-odd (off Nikita Miller) and 40-odd (off Sheldon Cottrell), and we paid the price dearly.
"The other guy (Hodge), who made 70-odd, he was also dropped on 40-odd.
"If we had taken those chances, more than likely they would not have got up to such a huge total."
Jamaica, with the loss, is all but out of the title race with four rounds of matches remaining. They will play Trinidad and Tobago Red Force at Sabina Park, starting on Friday.