BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Test vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood struck a half-century but West Indies teammate Jomel Warrican overshadowed him with a six-wicket haul, as Barbados Pride romped to a comprehensive 10-wicket victory over the Jamaica Scorpions here yesterday.
The right-handed Blackwood, in need of runs with next month’s England series already on the horizon, carved out 61 as Jamaica Scorpions were dismissed for 233 in their second innings, after resuming the morning at Kensington Oval on 56 for two.
Jamie Merchant, batting at number eight, opened his shoulders for a cameo 47 off 40 balls while Test batsman Nkrumah Bonner chipped in with 37 and Paul Palmer, 33.
However, Warrican plugged away steadily with his left-arm spin to finish with six for 78, a spell which undermined Scorpions and left Pride with a straightforward 41 for victory.
Left-hander Shayne Moseley, desperate for form after scraping 20 runs in his last three innings, showed glimpses with seven fours in an unbeaten 34 off 35 deliveries, helping the hosts to their second straight win following their success against Leeward Islands Hurricanes last weekend.
Resuming the day needing to bat through in order to avoid defeat, Scorpions suffered an early setback when left-handed opener John Campbell fell in the second over after adding only one to his overnight 15, edging a defensive prod at off-spinner Chaim Holder (2-85) to Jonathan Carter at slip.
However, Blackwood and Bonner combined to put on a crucial 72 for the third wicket, a partnership which seemed to be taking the game away from Pride.
Blackwood, on 24 at the start, faced 132 balls in just under three hours and counted four fours while Bonner struck three fours off 97 balls in a shade under two hours.
Warrican turned the tide when he accounted for both with only three runs added in the space of 25 balls, Bonner taken low down at slip by Carter and Blackwood taken at silly point by another West Indies teammate Shamarh Brooks off a sharp chance.
The left-handed Palmer tried to glue the innings together, facing 84 balls in two hours and counting three fours as he posted 37 for the fifth wicket with Alwyn Williams (17) and 37 for the seventh wicket Merchant, who belted two fours and four sixes.
But Palmer’s demise at 212 for seven saw Scorpions lose their last four wickets for just 21 runs.
