The Jamaica Scorpions ended the first day of the ongoing Cricket West Indies Regional Four-Day tournament on 320-8 against the Guyana Jaguars at Providence yesterday.
Defending champions Jaguars won the toss and sent Scorpions to take strike after overnight rain provided the pitch with moisture, allowing them to face a full 90 overs in the day that closed 40 minutes after the scheduled time.
Scorpions were boosted by an unbeaten stand of 90 for the ninth wicket between Derval Green and Dennis Bulli.
Green played a patient knock, facing 61 balls for his score of 59 not out. The 30-year-old was dropped on 12 by Leon Johnson off his own bowling. He belted five fours and two sixes, both of which came off of Johnson in a 17-run over.
Dennis Bulli supported Green on the other end, consistently turning over the strike with a composed 67-ball unbeaten 30 consisting of two boundaries.
Earlier, Brandon King notched up his eighth first-class half century with a pull through
mid-wicket in a 96-ball resistance that saw him rocketing eight fours and a lone six but was sent packing after Sherfane Rutherford was introduced into the bowling attack.
Rutherford also struck with the wicket of Jermaine Blackwood who was caught by Christopher Barnwell diving to his left at second slip for 44. Blackwood got off the mark with punch through the covers and into the boundary ropes, one of six boundaries during his 65-ball stay at the crease.
Guyanese-born Assad Fudadin started off his flamboyant innings with textbook shots that saw his first four scoring shots reaching the boundary, working the first off his hip from Romario Shepherd down to fine leg followed by an elegant square drive off the next delivery to bring up the team’s 100.
However, his risky innings came to an end when he attempted to hoist Rutherford over mid-off only to find the hands of a diving Shepherd for a 24-ball 23 that included five boundaries. Rutherford ended the day with 3-52.
Left arm spinner, Gudakesh Motie also got into the wickets after an expensive start to remove skipper, Paul Palmer (29) and Kenroy Williams (33) who had forged a 56-run partnership for th
e seventh wicket.
