PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Jamaica Scorpions jeopardized their chances of a semi-final spot in the Regional Super50 when they stumbled to a 73-run defeat at the hands of Barbados Pride following another weak batting effort here yesterday.
Chasing 247 for victory at the National Cricket Centre, Scorpions collapsed from a strong position of 61 without loss after eight overs to 173 all out off 46.5 overs, to suffer their third loss of the competition and slip to third spot in Group A.
With their win, Pride moved into second on 14 points and can confirm their semi-final berth with a win over hosts Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in the final round of matches on Sunday.
Scorpions, who remained on ten points, can still qualify for the semi-finals but need to beat ICC Americas in their final game on Sunday and hope Pride lose to Red Force.
However, they could have avoided the unnecessary permutations had they not squandered a great start from openers John Campbell, who scored 42 and rookie Jermaine Harrison who struck 22.
Once they were separated, however, wickets fell steadily as Pride bowlers slowly dissected the innings.
In-form right-hander Andre McCarthy resisted with 33 from 63 balls but found no support, with the last six wickets tumbling for 57 runs.
Part-time medium pacer Jonathan Carter once again made his presence felt with three for 26 while Test left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican snapped up three for 32.
Left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn (2-26) and off-spinner Ashley Nurse (2-36) provided support with two wickets apiece.
Earlier, attacking opener Dwayne Smith broke out of his slump with a powerful 86 to lead Pride’s charge to 246 for nine off their 50 overs, after they were sent in.
The right-hander got support from wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich with 48 while tail-ender Ashley Nurse chimed in with 23.
Skipper Campbell claimed three for 57 with his off-spin while Test fast bowler Jerome Taylor picked up two for 30.
Facing a must-win scenario in order to remain alive in the competition, Pride started poorly when Taylor removed both openers with just 33 runs on the board.
He removed the proflic Kraigg Brathwaite, caught at the wicket for one in the third over with nine runs on the board and returned to prise out another Test batsman Shai Hope for four, also caught behind in the ninth over.
Man-of-the-Match Smith, coming off scores of two, one, four and nought, added 33 for the third wicket with left-hander Jonathan Carter who scored 16 before he was run out in a bad mix-up in the 16th over.
Smith then combined with Shamarh Brooks (20) in a pivotal 66-run stand for the fourth wicket which once again gave the innings momentum.
Given a life at 70, Smith finally perished in the 30th over, caught at mid-wicket by Harrison off leg-spinner Damien Jacobs at 132 for four.
The right-handed Brooks followed in the next over from Campbell with just six runs added but Pride were rallied by a 41-run stand between Dowrich and skipper Jason Holder who made 19.
Dowrich, who faced 56 balls and struck two fours and a six, eventually fell in the 46th over.
In reply, Scorpions seemed to be running away with the game when the left-handed Campbell carved out five fours in his 39-ball cameo.
But Nurse intervened, deceiving Campbell and having him smartly stumped in the ninth over and three overs later, bowled Test batsman Jermaine Blackwood off-stump for one with the score on 70.
Pride were on top when Harrison holed out to Brooks at long-on off Benn in the 14th over but Scorpions were steadied, if only briefly, by a 40-run stand between McCarthy and Devon Thomas (17).
However, once Thomas was bowled by Carter in the 26th over at 116 for four, the innings unraveled, as the last six wickets went down for 57 runs.
