COOLIDGE, Antigua, CMC – Abijhai Mansingh hit his second half-century of the match and led a rearguard action in defiance of another destructive spell from Rahkeem Cornwall to earn Jamaica Scorpions a draw with hosts Leeward Islands Hurricanes in the West Indies Championship yesterday.
Mansingh followed up his first innings 56 with an unbeaten 62 to anchor Scorpions to 199 for nine in their second innings, after they were set 268 to win on the final day of their first round match at the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG). Cornwall grabbed 5-41 from 30 overs and ended with match figures of 10-95, but he could not find the formula to take the final wicket after Scorpions ran into trouble on 82 for five, and Mansingh shared 92 for the sixth wicket with Jamie Merchant to give them a lifeline.
Merchant made 47, opener Kirk McKenzie got 28, and Romaine Morris added 22, but no other batsman reached 20, and Scorpions had to employ a few time delaying tactics towards the end to reach safety.
Hurricanes gained eight points from the contest, and Scorpions walked away with six.
In the second round, starting on Wednesday, Hurricanes host Trinidad & Tobago Red Force at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, and Scorpions play two-time defending champions Barbados Pride, the only side to lose in the first round, at the CCG.
Earlier, the burly Cornwall made himself a shoo-in for the Player-of-the-Match prize when he hit 85 and powered Hurricanes to 241 in their second innings, after they started the day on 198 for seven.
Cornwall cracked six fours and four sixes from 95 balls and shared 55 with fellow international Hayden Walsh Jr for the eighth wicket to beef up the Hurricanes’ total before he became the second last of Merchant’s 4-43 from 20.5 overs. Walsh made 23 and the only one of the remaining batsmen that got into double figures.
Leroy Lugg and Kirk McKenzie started positively for Scorpions before the Hurricanes new-ball pair of Sheeno Berridge and Jermaine Louis respectively, accounted for them.
Aldane Thomas and Morris got Scorpions moving again, but three wickets – two to Cornwall – had them reeling with half the side down – but Mansingh and Merchant came to their rescue.
