Powell, McCarthy lift Ja Scorpions

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

Rovman Powell and Andre McCarthy both stroked unbeaten half-centuries as the Jamaica Scorpions easily defeated the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) Marooners by seven wickets in their Group B encounter of the Regional Super50 at the Three W's Oval yesterday.

Powell, who scored 79 not out and McCarthy who made 72, shared an unbroken partnership of 136 for the fourth wicket as the Scorpions easily overhauled CCC's total of 219 for eight in their 50 overs, finishing on 220 for three off 34.5 overs.

Both batsmen scored better than a run-a-ball as they dispatched CCC's bowlers to all parts of the ground with exceptional ease.

Powell's knock came off just 64 balls and contained two boundaries and six sixes, while McCarthy counted four fours and three sixes during his 69-ball innings.

They came together with the score on 85-3, following the dismissals of Chadwick Walton (5), Chris Gayle (21), and Jermaine Blackwood, who made 36.

46 runs

The duo took a particular liking to Marooners' captain Carlos Brathwaite, whose four overs went for 46 runs.

Earlier, Scorpions' captain Nikita Miller grabbed three wickets as the Marooners' batsmen struggled to get going.

After Kjorn Mottley fell with the score on two, Kyle Corbin and Amir Jangoo added 52 runs for the second wicket to help lead a fightback.

But Miller had Jangoo trapped leg before wicket for 30 and Christopher Lamont caught and bowled Corbin to leave the Marooners on 66-3.

Miller also accounted for the wickets of Brathwaite (26) and Nicholas Kirton (18), with Nicholas Sookdeosingh, who made 13, all getting starts but failing to push on as the Marooners slipped further into trouble at 121-6 in the 30th over.

However, a 72-run partnership between topscorer Khesan Mottley and Keron Cottoy, ensured that the home side got up to a respectable total.

Unfortunately, though, the pair took up 18 overs during their stand, which meant that there was no late flurry at the end for the Marooners.

Ottley was eventually dismissed by Oshane Thomas for 43, his knock coming from 62 balls and containing two sixes.

Cottoy batted through the innings to end unbeaten on 40 from 61 balls. His innings contained a solitary boundary.

Miller was the top bowler for the Scorpions, taking 3-35 from his nine overs, and he received good support from Thomas, who snagged 2-41 from his eight overs.