Carter century keeps Scorpions at bay
BARBADIAN JONATHAN Carter stroked a polished unbeaten century to guide the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) to 260 for seven on the opening day of their round-two West Indies Championship encounter against hosts the Jamaica Scorpions at Sabina Park.
The left-handed Carter faced 182 balls and hit 12 boundaries on his way to 108 not out, this after the College men were asked to bat first by Scorpions captain Jermaine Blackwood.
Things didn’t get off to the best of starts for CCC as they lost opener Shaqere Parris for four. Then his opening partner, Kirstan Kallicharan, had his stumps uprooted by pacer Ojay Shields, also for four, with just 23 runs on the board.
Shatrughan Rambaran and Shamarh Brooks then took the score to 50 before the former fell to Shields for 16. Brooks looked intent on getting a decent score, hitting seven fours in getting to 36, but played back to one from off-spinner Peat Salmon and was bowled at 88 for four.
A below-par score was looking on the cards after Abhijai Mansingh was introduced into the attack and picked up the wickets of Demario Richards (8) and Romario Greaves (4), but Carter and Sion Hackett took the score from 142 for six to 206.
Hackett took some time to get going, but he hit four fours on his way to 30 before he went caught behind off Gordon Bryan.
All this time Carter continued to tick over the scoring, which included some lovely cover and straight drives to the delight of the sparse crowd on hand.
The left-hander would get to three figures when he punched Mansingh down the ground, prompting a celebratory leap that was cheered on by his teammates in the pavilion.
Lower-order batsman Zishan Motara joined Carter, and the pair bat out the remainder of the day with Motara not out on 28 with four fours and a six.
Seamers Bryan, Shields, and leg-spinner Mansingh have so far taken two wickets each, with Peat Salmon claiming one wicket for 73 runs.
Over at Kensington Park, the Windward Islands Volcanoes were 123 without loss against the Barbados Pride who posted 214 in their first innings.
Jeremy Solozano is not out on 63, with captain Kimani Melius, unbeaten on 52.
Earlier, despite Kevin Wickham’s top score of 74, seamer Ryan John bagged four wickets for 47 runs to restrict the Pride.
At Conaree in St Kitts, the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force were 128 for three, replying to 163 made by the West Indies Academy.
While at Warner Park, the Leeward Islands Hurricanes will resume on 299 for six against the Guyana Harpy Eagles. Opener Mikyle Louis made 113, with Jahmar Hamilton getting 77.