Scorpions going for win – Miller
CAPTAIN NIKITA Miller says his Jamaica Scorpions will be giving it their all as they try to eke out an unlikely win against the Windward Islands Volcanoes in their WICB-Digicel Regional Four-day Championship clash at Sabina Park.
Jamaica Scorpion are 92 for two in their second innings, for an overall lead of 38 runs heading into today’s fourth and final day.
This follows the Scorpions’ first-innings total of 151, which span across the first two days due to bad weather. The Windwards, in their first turn at bat, made 205.
Playing in his first season as captain of the team, Miller outlined that the hope is to post a total in the region of 250 runs by midway the post-lunch session.
This, he said, would give the team a chance of “having a go’’ at the visitors, who, in light of their first innings and based on their lower-end-of-the-points-table history, has the propensity to falter.
“Come tomorrow, we have to plan our innings as we will be trying to make a game of it,’’ Miller stated.
ANYTHING POSSIBLE
“At some time after lunch tomorrow, the aim is to declare, if we don’t get bowled out, at a score of between 230 and 250.
“This would then give us a chance to bowl at them, and if we get a bowling start like the one we had in the first innings, where we had them, at one stage 30 for three and 97 for five, anything is possible.’’
The Scorpions, who like the Volcanoes, are seeking to bounce back from openinground loses last week, had their debutant fast bowlers Reynard Leveridge and Oshane Thomas and rookie pace all-rounder Derval Green to thank for their position.
Bowling at impressive speeds and good lengths, Leveridge and 19-year-old Thomas, had several of the Windwards batsmen ducking, taking evasive action or settling primarily for defensive shots.
Thomas finished with two for 26 off seven overs, and Leveridge, one for 34 off 13.2.
Green, in the meanwhile, playing in his second first-class match, utilised the largely overcast conditions to swing the ball in and out on his way to claim two for 37.
There were also two wickets each for Miller and leg-spinner Damion Jacobs. Allrounder Kyle Mayers and wicketkeeper Sunil Ambris, with 61, top-scored for the Volcanoes.
‘I thought the two debutants bowled really well,’’ Miller assessed.
‘’This was especially so for Oshane, who got a call on the first morning of the match and, for him to come in and make such a contribution, was really good.”
Meanwhile, Mayers, another recent West Indies ‘A’ recruit, believes the match is in the balance.
‘’I think the game could go both ways,’’ he said.’’I think it is for us to come tomorrow and apply the pressure and keep it tight when we are not getting wickets, so that if we have to chase, we can chase a gettable total.’’
Come tomorrow, we have to plan our innings...