Indifferent batting sees Barbados suffer another defeat

NORTH SOUND, Antigua – Left-arm spinners Dennis Bulli and Jeavor Royal combined to ruin Barbados Pride and lay the foundation for Jamaica Scorpions’ comfortable five-wicket victory in the Super50 Cup on Tuesday night.

Choosing to bat first in the Zone B day/night affair at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Pride crumbled for 176 in the 46th over with Bulli (3-31) and Royal (3-33) claiming three-wicket hauls.

Pride lacked stability throughout their innings and only captain Shai Hope with 49 from 65 deliveries showed any enterprise, leaving them winless in their last three matches.

In contrast, West Indies opener Brandon King struck a patient 41 from 83 deliveries to power the run chase home in the 46th over, Chadwick Walton chipping in with 37 from 65 deliveries and Andre McCarthy, 31 from 48 balls.

Left-arm spinner Camarie Boyce (2-27) grabbed two wickets towards the end to take some of the shine off the Scorpions effort but the victory was never really in doubt

Scorpions lie second on eight points behind leaders Leeward Islands Hurricanes (10), with Pride third on eight and West Indies Academy last on four points.

Pride, depleted by the loss of their Test players for the imminent tour of Australia, were in early trouble when Kyle Hope (2) and Zachary McCaskie (10) perished cheaply to leave the innings stuttering on 16 for two in the seventh over.

The innings then benefited from two key stands. First, Hope posted 38 for the third wicket with veteran left-hander Jonathan Carter (2), which stemmed the flow of wickets.

Hope, who counted two fours and two sixes, was one of six wickets to tumble for 85 runs as Pride tumbled to 139 for eight in the 37th, Bulli and Royal scything through the middle and lower order.

However, Akeem Jordan (21) and Jomel Warrican (15) propped up the tail in a 36-run, ninth wicket partnership which added precious runs for Pride, before off-spinner Pete Salmon (2-17) knocked over both in the same over.

In reply, Scorpions put paid to any thoughts of a Pride comeback, courtesy of a 91-run opening stand between King and Walton – the latter featuring in his first match of the tournament.

Both batsmen struck four fours before departing within 16 balls of each other with a single run added to leave the run chase at 92 for two in the 26th over. And when Alwyn Williams (10) followed in the 31st, Scorpions were stumbling somewhat.

McCarthy, who punched three fours, calmed any simmering fears by anchoring a 33-run, fourth wicket stand with captain Rovman Powell (17), which saw off the Pride threat.

Meanwhile, in further Super50 action today, Trinidad and Tobago captain Nicholas Pooran finally tasted form in gathering his first half-century of the campaign, as he helped guide his side to a six-wicket win over Guyana Harpy Eagles at the Queen’s Park Oval, in Port of Spain.

The left-hander, who oversaw West Indies’ disastrous Twenty20 World Cup campaign in Australia last month and had struggled for scores since returning, punched an unbeaten 56 from 47 deliveries which saw Red Force overhaul a modest 183.

He was joined by 25-year-old rookie Jyd Goolie who lashed a run-a-ball unbeaten 58, the pair putting on 95 in an unbroken sixth wicket stand.

Having earlier called correctly and chosen to bowl, Red Force limited Harpy Eagles to 182 in the 46th over, leg-spinner Yannic Cariah claiming three for 34 and fast bowler Shannon Gabriel (2-25) and left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein (2-52) chipping in with a brace apiece.

Not for the first time, Harpy Eagles were let down by their top order and required another bailout from effervescent all-rounder Romario Shepherd who lashed a high quality 56 from 50 balls at number eight – his second fifty in four innings – to rally the innings.

Number 10 Gudakesh Motie also contributed, carving out an unbeaten 39 from 47 deliveries to follow up starts by Tevin Imlach (34) and Kemol Savory (32) in the top order.

Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein knocked over Anthony Bramble cheaply for one with the score on three after being handed the new ball before Savory and Imlach breathed fresh life into the innings with a 59-run, second wicket stand.

Comfortably placed at 62 for one, Harpy Eagles suffered a stunning collapse to lose six wickets for 15 runs to find themselves suddenly tottering on 77 for seven in the 26th over.

Shepherd arrived to launch a counter-attack, clobbering four fours and three sixes in adding 20 for the eighth wicket with Veerasammy Permaul (5) and a crucial 79 for the ninth with Motie who counted three fours and a six.

In reply, Red Force got 27 from the in-form opener Kjorn Ottley and 25 from Jason Mohammed but the innings lacked real partnerships and was suffering at 88 for four at the end of the 20th over.

The revival came through left-hander Goolie who struck two fours and five sixes and Pooran, who lashed a four and five sixes, to erase any hopes Harpy Eagles entertained of further breakthroughs. (CMC)