NORTH SOUND, Antigua, CMC – Left-arm spinners Dennis Bulli and Jeavor Royal combined to ruin Barbados Pride and lay the foundation for Jamaica Scorpions’ comfortable five-wicket victory in the Super50 Cup here Tuesday.
Choosing to bat first in the Zone B day/night affair at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Pride crumbled for 176 in the 46th over with Bulli (3-31) and Royal (3-33) claiming three-wicket hauls.
Pride lacked stability throughout their innings and only captain Shai Hope with 49 from 65 deliveries showed any enterprise, leaving them winless in their last three matches.
In contrast, West Indies opener Brandon King struck a patient 41 from 83 deliveries to power the run chase home in the 46th over, Chadwick Walton chipping in with 37 from 65 deliveries and Andre McCarthy, 31 from 48 balls.
Left-arm spinner Camarie Boyce (2-27) grabbed two wickets towards the end to take some of the shine off the Scorpions effort but the victory was never really in doubt
Scorpions lie second on eight points behind leaders Leeward Islands Hurricanes (10), with Pride third on eight and West Indies Academy last on four points.
Pride, depleted by the loss of their Test players for the imminent tour of Australia, were in early trouble when Kyle Hope (2) and Zachary McCaskie (10) perished cheaply to leave the innings stuttering on 16 for two in the seventh over.
The innings then benefited from two key stands. First, Hope posted 38 for the third wicket with veteran left-hander Jonathan Carter (2), which stemmed the flow of wickets.
Hope, who counted two fours and two sixes, was one of six wickets to tumble for 85 runs as Pride tumbled to 139 for eight in the 37th, Bulli and Royal scything through the middle and lower order. However, Akeem Jordan (21) and Jomel Warrican (15) propped up the tail in a 36-run, ninth wicket partnership which added precious runs for Pride, before off-spinner Pete Salmon (2-17) knocked over both in the same over.
In reply, Scorpions put paid to any thoughts of a Pride comeback, courtesy of a 91-run opening stand between King and Walton – the latter featuring in his first match of the tournament.
Both batsmen struck four fours before departing within 16 balls of each other with a single run added to leave the run chase at 92 for two in the 26th over. And when Alwyn Williams (10) followed in the 31st, Scorpions were stumbling somewhat.
McCarthy, who punched three fours, calmed any simmering fears by anchoring a 33-run, fourth wicket stand with captain Rovman Powell (17), which saw off the Pride threat.
