TAROUBA, Trinidad, CMC – Brandon King struck his sixth half-century of the season to follow up fast bowler Nicholson Gordon’s career-best, as Jamaica Scorpions hit back strongly against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force on the second day of their rescheduled first round match in the Regional Four-Day Championship at the Brian Lara Stadium here yesterday.
Replying to the hosts’ first innings of 389 all out, Scorpions ended on 282 for six – still 107 runs behind heading into day three of the affair at the Brian Lara Stadium.
Test batsman Jermaine Blackwood, still trying to find his best form, top-scored with a typically entertaining 66 while King, currently enjoying a rich vein of form, struck 59.
Nkrumah Bonner, in only his second match of the season, stroked an unbeaten 42 while captain Paul Palmer chipped in with 30.
Earlier, Jason Mohammed had missed out on a hundred when he fell for 94, as Red Force lost their last five wickets for 51 runs, after they resumed on 338 for five. The right-handed Mohammed, picking up from his overnight 89 in pursuit of his ninth first class hundred, fell in the day’s second over to Gordon and his partner Khary Pierre added just five before falling in the fifth over, bowled by fast bowler Jermaine Levi.
Gordon, who claimed four wickets on Thursday’s opening day, added another three to his tally to end with seven for 70 in his third first class match and first in three seasons.
Scorpions suffered an early setback in their reply when Test opener John Campbell, fresh from the England series, fell cheaply for 13 with the score on 26.
However, Blackwood led Scorpions’ resistance, adding 46 for the second wicket with opener Garth Garvey (16) before putting on a further 66 for the third wicket with Assad Fudadin (20).
The right-handed Blackwood stroked 10 fours in a 90-ball innings before he was third out, bowled missing an ugly heave at leg-spinner Imran Khan.
King then took up for the mantle for Jamaica, hitting nine fours and a six in an up tempo 77-ball knock, as he put on 81 for the sixth with wicket Bonner.
He was the last wicket of the day, however, lbw to Test speedster Shannon Gabriel (2-35) off one that kept low on off-stump.
