King, Blackwood keep Red Force at bay

TAROUBA, Trinidad, CMC – Brandon King struck his sixth half-century of the season to follow up fast bowler Nicholson Gordon’s career-best, as Jamaica Scorpions hit back strongly against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force on the second day of their rescheduled first round match in the Regional Four-Day Championship at the Brian Lara Stadium here yesterday.

Replying to the hosts’ first innings of 389 all out, Scorpions ended on 282 for six – still 107 runs behind heading into day three of the affair at the Brian Lara Stadium.

Test batsman Jermaine Blackwood, still trying to find his best form, topscored with a typically entertaining 66 while King, currently enjoying a rich vein of form, struck 59.

Nkrumah Bonner, in only his second match of the season, stroked an unbeaten 42 while captain Paul Palmer chipped in with 30.

Earlier, Jason Mohammed had missed out on a hundred when he fell for 94, as Red Force lost their last five wickets for 51 runs, after they resumed on 338 for five. The right-handed Mohammed, picking up from his overnight 89 in pursuit of his ninth first class hundred, fell in the day’s second over to Gordon and his partner Khary Pierre added just five before falling in the fifth over, bowled by fast bowler Jermaine Levi.

Gordon, who claimed four wickets on Thursday’s opening day, added another three to his tally to end with seven for 70 in his third first class match and first in three seasons.

Scorpions suffered an early setback in their reply when Test opener John Campbell, fresh from the England series, fell cheaply for 13 with the score on 26.