Richardson bemoans Scorpions top-half batting flop

JAMAICA SCORPIONS head coach Andrew Richardson lamented his team’s poor batting at the top, which helped to contribute to the hosts going down by seven wickets to the Leeward Islands Hurricanes on the final day of their West Indies Championship match at Sabina Park yesterday.

The Leewards, who resumed on 145 for three in chase of 188 for victory, reached the target without further loss, thanks to a brilliant 94 not out from Justin Greaves and 21 not out from wicketkeeper Jahmar Hamilton.

Greaves faced 183 balls and hit five fours in seeing the Hurricanes over the line and, in that, secured their fourth win of the season while condemning the Scorpions to their third loss.

Scores in the game: Jamaica Scorpions 221 and 196 all out. Leeward Islands Hurricanes 231 and 189 for three.

The Scorpions coach bemoaned the fact that the top half of his team’s batting failed to come to the party once more.

“It is quite simple that the top half didn’t give us any runs, and that contributed to us not being able to win this game. Our bowlers tried their best to win the game for us but our batters didn’t maintain the discipline required,” said Richardson.

Richardson continued to praise the efforts of his lower order, which contains the likes of Peat Salmon, Abhijai Mansigh, Ramaal Lewis and Derval Green, who all had contributions in the game.

Salmon finished with two wickets in the second innings to go with his five in the first, while Mansingh made a fighting 52 in the second innings, with Lewis picking up four wickets and scoring a vital 30.

Richardson says the coaching staff will be meeting to assess the team’s performance heading into their sixth-round game against Guyana at Sabina Park.

On Friday, the Guyana Harpy Eagles beat Windward Islands Volcanoes by 254 runs at the Coolidge Cricket Ground, and the Barbados Pride were eight-wicket winners over Trinidad and Tobago Red Force at Queen’s Park Oval.

Yesterday, CWI Academy defeated Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners by 61 runs at the Frank Worrell Memorial Ground.