Another dismal display by Scorpions

Once again, the frailties in the Jamaica Scorpions batting came to the fore as they were exposed by spin from the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force after the second day’s play in their West Indies Championship match at Sabina Park.

The home side will resume today’s third day on 159 for nine, still trailing the Red Force by 273 runs after the visitors piled up 432 all out batting first.

The day belonged to off-spinner Bryan Charles, who, so far, has bagged six wickets as the youthful Scorpions batting looked at sea against the fast-spinning deliveries.

Only Kirk McKenzie, with 57, has shown any real fight as the left-hander dug deep to get his first half-century of the campaign.

McKenzie came to the crease with the score on 27 after opener Carlos Brown was bowled by Anderson Phillip for 16.

The left-hander watched from the other end as Charles spun a web around the other batters as he accounted for opener Javaughn Buchanan for 10 and then snared the next four wickets to leave the hosts in a tailspin at 116 for six.

McKenzie hit two fours and two sixes in facing 153 balls, but he became the seventh wicket to fall when he went caught behind off Khary Pierre, who has picked up two wickets so far.

Charles wrapped up the day’s play with his sixth wicket when he had Ojay Shields caught for five.

“The wicket was spinning from yesterday and even more today, and so I bowled with a little more pace than the Jamaican spinners, and that was what brought me the success,” said Charles.

Lower-order batter Jeavor Royal played some lusty blows in getting to 33, which included two fours and three sixes.

He will resume today with the last man, Andae Dennis.

Earlier, Royal finished with three wickets for 113 runs as the Red Force added 124 more runs to their overnight 308 for seven.

Terrance Hinds and Pierre helped themselves to some handy runs, with Hinds going on to make 79 with seven fours and five sixes. Pierre chipped in with 43.

Scores:

At Frank Worrell Field in Trinidad: Combined Campuses & Colleges Marooners lead Guyana Harpy Eagles by 142 with three second-innings wickets standing.

Marooners 200 all out (Demario Richards 43; Veerasammy Permaul 3-51) and 165 for seven (Odaine McCatty 56, Shamarh Brooks 54 not out; Kevin Sinclair 2-29, Gudakesh Motie 2-42.

Harpy Eagles 223 all out (Raymond Perez 62, Tevin Imlach 55; Avinash Mahabirsingh 17.4-2-51-8).

At the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua: Barbados Pride lead Cricket West Indies Academy by 21 with seven second-innings wickets standing.

Pride 155 all out (Jonathan Drakes 35; McKenny Clarke 3-26) and 109 for three (Kraigg Brathwaite 49 not out, Shian Brathwaite 21; Joshua Bishop 2-11).

CWI Acadmy 243 all out (Ackeem Auguste 76; Akeem Jordan 4-76).

At Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad: Leeward Islands Hurricanes lead Windward Islands Volcanoes by 232 with eight second-innings wickets standing.

Hurricanes 300 all out (Mikyle Louis 100, Jewel Andrew 68; Ryan John 3-67) and 111 for two (Mikyle Louis 33).

Volcanoes 179 all out (Johann Jeremiah 41; Daniel Doram 16-5-34-6, Hayden Walsh Jr 3-21).