Mindley, McKenzie get Scorpions off the mark

THE JAMAICA Scorpions got off the mark in their second game of the CG United Super50, beating the West Indies Academy by 80 runs in a result impacted by Duckworth-Lewis-Stern at the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Grounds in Trinidad and Tobago yesterday.

Winning the toss and electing to bat, the Scorpions, through the efforts of Kirk McKenzie (90), skipper, John Campbell (39), Jermaine Blackwood (33), and some lower-order fight from Odean Smith (23), amassed 250 in 48.1 overs.

In response, the West Indies Academy could only muster 155 all out in 28 overs.

The Scorpions were in early trouble when Odain McCatty had his stumps removed by Jediah Blades without troubling the scorers, but McKenzie joined the innings to stablilise their efforts alongside Campbell.

Campbell was aggressive, scoring his 39 from just 32 deliveries, inclusive of three fours and two sixes, before Joshua Bishop had him caught and bowled in the 13th over.

McKenzie, a little more reserved than Campbell, continued to stick with the stabilisation plan, hitting 13 fours and a six in his 92-ball stay. With a century in sight, however, he was caught behind off the bowling of Johann Layne.

Before that, Taylor provided good support with his 33 coming off 55 deliveries and including just one boundary.

At 173-3, the Scorpions went through a mini wobble, losing three wickets for just 30 runs, forcing Smith to be more sedate than normal, spending all of 30 deliveries for his tally.

For the academy, Blades, with 4-46, was the pick of the bowlers. He was ably supported by Bishop, who ended with figures of 3-35, while there was a wicket for Zishan Motara (1-41) and two for Layne (2-40).

But no academy bowler could match the exploits of Marquino Mindley, who devastated their attack when they attempted to reply, the pacer snagging 3-6 in four torrid overs of pace.

Jeavor Royal (3-44) and Brad Barnes (3-22) were also fantastic.

The academy were in trouble from the start, with Mindley and Royal removing openers Justin Jagessar, and Ackeam Auguste, respectively, without a run coming from the bat.

Thirty-five from Rivaldo Clarke and 61 from academy skipper Teddy Bishop seemed to settle things but, when Barnes got rid of the former, and Royal the latter, the cat was again set among the pigeons.

Except for Layne with a whirlwind 29 from just 14 balls, no other batsmen stuck around, leaving the all-rounder high and dry and his team well short.