Academy team piles up 300+ runs against Scorpions

THE WEST Indies Academy, on the back of three half-centuries, piled up 324 runs against the Jamaica Scorpions on the opening day of their fourth-round West Indies Championship match at Sabina Park yesterday.

The Scorpions will resume today’s second day on 20 without loss, still trailing the Academy team by 304 on first innings.

It was evident that the bat dominated the ball on the opening day as the Sabina Park surface served up some runs, with 17-year-old Barbadian debutant Joshua Dorne leading the way with 83 and Jamaica’s Jordan Johnson weighing in with 61. Opener Kadeem Alleyne scored 52.

Dorne faced 133 balls and hit 12 fours and one six as the right-hander shared in a 77-run second-wicket partnership with Alleyne, who hit five fours and three sixes in his half-century knock before he went lbw to pacer Ojay Shields.

The Barbadian Dorne was looking set to score his maiden first-class century, however, left-arm spinner Jeavor Royal, playing in his first game, had him caught behind by wicketkeeper Romaine Morris, with the score on 197 for four.

The left-handed Johnson then took over the innings, facing 127 balls, hitting seven fours and two sixes in his half-century knock.

The former Wolmer’s Boys’ School player shared in a 44-run fifth-wicket stand with wicketkeeper Carlton Bowen Tuckett, who went to Abijai Mansingh for 24.

The burly Joshua James spruced up the Academy score towards the back end with four towering sixes and two fours in his knock of 36 before he fell to Derval Green, who ended with three wickets for 48 runs.

Shields finished with three for 48, and Mansingh ended with two for 69.

Facing six overs late in the evening, the Scorpions, with Carlos Brown and Kirk McKenzie, unbeaten on 10 runs each, looked comfortable.

Dorne thinks the Academy team has started well enough to make a game of the affair.

“I think it is a good total, looking at stats from previous games. Not many teams get over 300 on the first day, and I think we are in a good position.”

Veteran all-rounder Green believes the day’s play was fair given how well the wicket played.

“It is a very good wicket to bat on as it has no devil in it. I thought the Academy team made good use of it, but we must give ourselves credit for taking 10 wickets, and I think it sets up nicely for some good cricket.”

At the Frank Worrell Field in Trinidad, the Leeward Islands Hurricanes trail Combined Campuses & Colleges Marooners by 253, with nine first-innings wickets standing.

Earlier, the Marooners had scored 273 all out courtesy of Amari Goodridge, 75, Sadique Henry, 73, and Romario Greaves, 58.

Daniel Doram, 4-37, was the best of the Hurricanes bowlers, with Jeremiah Louis, 3-54, and Rahkeem Cornwall, 3-86, chipping in. The Hurricanes are 20-1.

At the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua, the Guyana Harpy Eagles were 231 for five against the Barbados Pride.

The Harpy Eagles mined their runs through Kevlon Anderson, 87, Tevin Imlach, 55, and Tagenarine, 40. Jason Holder has been the Pride’s best bowler with 2-29.

At Queen’s Park Oval, also in Trinidad, the Windward Islands Volcanoes are just 102 runs in front of the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force after being bowled out for 191.

The Volcanoes were dominated by a bowling spell of 5-37 from Anderson Phillip, who was helped along by Khary Pierre, 3-21, and Jayden Seales, 2-48.

In response, the Red Force were 89 for one, with Kjorn Ottley, the only man out for 47. Vikash Mohan is on 34 not out and was joined by Jyd Goolie, who is on one.