Scorpions look to get back to winning ways

THE JAMAICA Scorpions have had a couple of weeks to reflect on their campaign in the ongoing West Indies Championship.

The Andrew Richardson-coached side is currently in fourth position in the eight-team standings with 29.6 points, one win, and two losses.

Following venue changes by Cricket West Indies, the Scorpions will now play host to the West Indies Academy team starting today at Sabina Park.

The visitors are second from bottom in the standings after a win and two losses and are just 5.6 points behind the Jamaicans.

The Scorpions will be hoping that the change of captaincy from Jermaine Blackwood to Brandon King will bring them some fortune, and coach Richardson expects that King’s inclusion will finally light a spark for the top order which has been found wanting in recent fixtures.

“We have been doing some work with our batters and in the past games our middle to lower half has been scoring the brunt of the runs, but we pick people in the top half to score runs and we hope they can execute in this game and going forward.”

The Scorpions will have to score without their main run-getter in Chadwick Walton, who has gone to play franchise cricket in Sri Lanka.

Walton has the fourth most runs in the tournament thus far with 242 in six innings. The next best Jamaican on the list is wicketkeeper Romaine Morris, who scored 223 runs in five innings.

The Scorpions could hand a debut to St Elizabeth all-rounder Andre McCarthy, who comes into the 13-man squad at the expense of injured pacer Gordon Bryan.

Richardson says he expects a good showing from the medium pacer if given the nod.

“We have invested in players such as McCarthy and he is more than capable. People will get the opportunity to play and with him being a virtual unknown, could benefit the team,” added Richardson.

The hosts have only taken 20 wickets in a game once in their three outings and Richardson is keen to rectify that against the West Indies Academy, who have several inexperienced players in their line-up.

Having said that, Richardson is guarding against complacency as the Academy team beat the Leeward Islands Volcanoes in their opening fixture.

“Most of their players play white-ball cricket; however, they are a very capable team and they have shown that they can win at this level. They have players the likes of Joshua Bishop, Nyeem Young, and McKenny Clarke, who are very talented,” added Richardson.

The Academy team will also be banking on left-arm spinner Asmead Nedd who has snared 17 wickets in the tournament so far.