PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Captain Nyeem Young snatched a five-wicket haul and in-form Teddy Bishop struck another half-century, as West Indies Academy shocked title-holders Jamaica Scorpions with a six-wicket victory in a rain-affected contest here yesterday.
Choosing to bat first at Queen’s Park Oval, Scorpions rallied to 263 for nine off their 50 overs, thanks to Kirk McKenzie’s top-score of 84 from 102 balls and captain Rovman Powell’s 53 off 55 deliveries.
Seamer Young, 23, prevented any real acceleration at the back end of the innings, however, claiming five of the last six wickets to fall to end with five for 49.
Rain then halted play with the Academy well placed on 131 for three after 25 overs and when the skies cleared, the development side found themselves facing a revised target of 236 off 42 overs.
Unbeaten on 37 then, the 20-year-old Bishop marshaled the remainder of the chase with a responsible run-a-ball 67 not out as West Indies Academy comfortably overhauled their target with 27 balls to spare.
The right-hander, who struck three fours and two sixes, found a reliable ally in Kevin Wickham (37) with whom he added 70 for the fourth wicket, before anchoring a match-winning 42-run, unbroken fifth wicket partnership with Ackeem Auguste (15 not out).
Leonardo Julien had earlier struck 52 off 48 deliveries to galvanise the early stages of the chase, laying the foundation for the Academy’s first win of the campaign.
For Scorpions, the loss was their second – keeping them winless in the Regional Super50 Cup – following their 47-run defeat to Barbados Pride last week.
They lost Jermaine Blackwood cheaply in the fourth over for three with 11 runs on the board but bounced back through a series of partnerships, inspired by McKenzie.
The 22-year-old left-hander, who struck five fours and two sixes, posted 31 for the second wicket with Chadwick Walton (17) , 43 for the third wicket with Andre McCarthy (15) before putting on 102 with Powell for the fourth wicket.
Powell lashed half-dozen fours and a six but fell along with McKenzie in the space of 12 balls, both knocked over by Young, who then scythed through the lower order.
At 48 for two in the 12th over in reply, the Academy were in need of a boost and received it first through Julien and then the polished Bishop.
Julien, already with a fifty in the tournament, counted half-dozen fours and a six while adding 67 for the third wicket with Bishop, who then took command of the back end of the chase with his second fifty of the campaign
