Volcanoes too hot for Scorpions
THE WINDWARD Islands Volcanoes beat the Jamaica Scorpions by five wickets in their Cricket West Indies Professional Cricket League Regional Four-Day competition game at Sabina Park, Kingston yesterday. Resuming on the final day on 176 for 4, needing another 111 for an outright win, the visitors lost only one wicket in the session and a half they needed to get the required runs to end on 289 for 5. The one wicket to fall was that of captain Kirk Edwards, who was resolute and determined in his knock of 76. He did enjoy a couple of lives but otherwise batted responsibly. He shared a fifth wicket stand of 99 with Man of the Match Kavem Hodge, who ended unbeaten on 59.
INITIATIVE WRESTLED
That partnership completely wrestled the initiative from Jamaica and set up the win for the Volcanoes.
Edwards was out on the stroke of lunch at 256 for 5, but by then, the Volcanoes were well and truly on their way, needing 31 for victory.
There were a few alarms in the final stages as the Volcanoes batsmen gave a few half chances. Rovman Powell dropped a sitter when Alick Athanaze lofted to him at mid-on at 267 for 5. There were other near misses, but in the end Athanaze and Hodge saw the visitors through without further loss. Athanaze was unbeaten at the end on 23.
Rovman Powell ended with 2 for 48, while there was a wicket apiece for Oshane Thomas, Nikita Miller and John Campbell.
The Jamaicans now have lost their first two games and will be hoping for better fortunes when they face the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, starting this Thursday at Sabina Park.