KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Jason Mohammed narrowly missed out on his sixth first class hundred but Test batsman Jermaine Blackwood was closing in on his fifth, as Jamaica Scorpions took command of their fourth round Regional Four-Day contest against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force here yesterday.
Replying to Scorpions’ first innings of 314, Red Force were dismissed for 206 after resuming the second day at Sabina Park on 35 for two.
Mohammed carved out a splendid unbeaten 91 while in-form Barbadian opener Kyle Hope got 64, but Red Force tumbled to the spin of leg-spinner Damion Jacobs who claimed four for 61 and left-arm spinner Nikita Miller who picked up three for 53.
With a lead of 108, Scorpions batted themselves into a strong position thanks to Blackwood who was unbeaten on 80 at the close.
They were slumping at 21 for two until Blackwood combined with West Indies batsman Andre McCarthy, who made 28, to put on 83 for the third wicket.
The right-handed Blackwood has so far faced 120 balls in 157 minutes and counted ten fours and a six while McCarthy struck four fours in a 54-ball knock.
Earlier, Red Force needed the enterprise of Mohammed and Hope in order to rebound from their overnight chaos when they lost two wickets in successive deliveries to end the first day.
Left-hander Yannic Cariah fell in the morning’s seventh over for 15 at 56 for three but the pair came together in an 87-run fourth wicket stand to rescue the innings.
Mohammed, in his first game since his return from West Indies duty, faced 125 balls in 2-3/4 hours at the crease and blasted ten fours and four sixes.
Hope, meanwhile, already with three half-centuries under his belt this season, counted three fours and three sixes in a knock spanning 81 deliveries and just under 2-1/2 hours.
His dismissal, however, triggered a slide which saw six wickets tumble for 21 runs, to leave Red Force tottering on 164 for nine.
Mohammed then nursed the strike, putting on 42 for the last wicket with Sheldon Cottrell who made seven, to add valuable runs for the visitors.
