Scorpions struggle against Volcanoes

The Jamaica Scorpions once again showed fragility with the bat, as the home side were totally outplayed on the second day of their West Indies Championship Regional Four Day match against the Windward Islands Volcanoes at Sabina Park yesterday.

The Scorpions, replying to the Volcanoes’ first innings score of 387, were 203 for 7 at stumps, still trailing by 184 runs.

Once again Paul Palmer Jr and Derval Green led the fightback with well-organised half-centuries against two wickets each for pacers Shermon Lewis and Josh Thomas.

Earlier, the visitors resumed the morning on 314 for 5 with Emanuel Stewart on 46 and Keron Cottoy 29, as the Jamaican bowlers showed a bit more discipline in the early session to pick up the remaining Volcanoes wickets for just 73 runs.

In the interim, Stewart got to just his second first-class half-century, which included six fours and a six, before Marquino Mindley broke the 90-run partnership when he bowled the wicket-keeper for exactly 50 at 322 for 6.

Cottoy was also eyeing a half-century. However, on 47, he went lbw to Nicholson Gordon after the former had shared a 30-run seventh-wicket partnership with Shane Shillingford.

After getting to 30, Shillingford would eventual become the first of three wickets for rookie spinner Patrick Harty Jnr, who mopped up the tail to dismiss the visitors on the stroke of lunch for 387. Harty Jr finished with 3 for 65, while Derval Green took 3 for 73. There were two wickets for Mindley and Gordon.

In their turn at the crease, The Scorpions openers John Campbell and Assad Fudadin looked intent on getting big scores following a couple aggressive shots early off the opening seamers. However, with the score on 28, Fudadin fished at one outside off stump and was caught by Hodge at slip off Preston McSween for 7.

Three balls later, captain John Campbell joined Fudadin in the pavilion, as he was caught behind off pacer Shermon Lewis for 19.

Things would look even more bleak for the home side when Jermaine Blackwood edged Shermon Lewis to Stewart, as the Scorpions staggered on 31 for 3.

Nkrumah Bonner joined Paul Palmer Jr and the immediate mission for the pair was recovery, as they painstakingly added 26 runs in 10 overs.

When Bonner fell to pacer Josh Thomas for 11, the prospects of another follow-on loomed for the home side, who were reeling at 57 for 4.

Palmer maturity

However, Palmer Jr, who scored a half-century and century against the Red Force last week, batted with maturity once again, as he and wicketkeeper Aldane Thomas kept the disciplined Volcanoes bowlers at bay until the final session.

The pair added 60 runs for the fifth wicket, with Palmer Jr getting to his 8 first-class half-century off 94 balls.

When Thomas went caught and bowled by Hodge for 12, Palmer Jr would fall almost immediately, as he went lbw to Thomas for 54 to leave the hosts at 118 for 6.

Derval Green and Jamie Merchant continued to bat aggressively despite the loss of wickets, and they added 41 runs for the seventh wicket, before Merchant went lbw to leg-spinner KeronCottoy for 21. Green would eventually get to his second half-century of the season, and when stumps were drawn, he was unbeaten on 50 with six fours, while Mindley was not out on 16, as the hosts ended on 203 for 7, still 184 runs adrift heading into day three.