Royal century in vain as Volcanoes overhaul Scorpions

TAROUBA, Trinidad (CMC):

Despite a brilliant maiden List A century from all-rounder Jeavor Royal, the Jamaica Scorpions went down by one wicket to the Windward Islands Volcanoes in their CG United Super50 Cup clash at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Thursday night.

Royal’s brilliant 124 rescued the Scorpions and helped them to a decent score of 231 in 44.4 overs; however, all-around contributions saw the Volcanoes inching over the line at 233 for nine in 49.1 overs, to seal the win.

The day/night contest saw the Scorpions win the toss and decide to have first use of the fairly good batting wicket.

That decision did not look all that great early as wickets were the order of the day for the Volcanoes bowlers, which virtually blew away the Jamaican top and middle order.

When the 22nd over of the innings was being bowled, the Scorpions were in tatters at 87 for seven, with captain Brad Barnes, 21, and opener Carlos Brown, 22, the only batters to reach double figures at that point.

Pacer McKenny Clarke and medium pacer Shadrack Descarte had combined to pick up four of the top six wickets. However, lower order batsman Royal had other ideas, as he came in at number eight and played the innings of a lifetime.

With his team down and out, Royal decided to fight fire with fire, and he went about his business most destructively. Royal struck four fours and eleven sixes in a whirlwind 107-ball knock.

The right-hander first shared in a 58-run eight-wicket partnership with debutant Andre Bailey, who made 21 and then added a vital 76 runs for the final wicket with Tamarie Redwood who contributed just one run to the effort.

Royal was the last wicket to fall in the 45th over to Clarke, who ended with 3-41 while Descarte and Kenneth Dember picked up two wickets each.

With a more than decent total to defend, the Scorpions had to work hard for wickets, as the Volcanoes batters chipped away at the target with meticulous precision.

Five batters in the Windwards lineup got starts, with opener Johan Jeremiah, 30, Sunil Ambris, 34, Darron Nedd 35, Descarte, 31, and Dillon Douglas, 44, all contributing to the successful run chase.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Volcanoes, as the Scorpions picked up wickets at crucial times, to leave the game on a knife edge towards the back end of the innings.

It would come down to the final pair in the final over, as Dember with a vital 19 not out and Darel Cyrus five, seeing the Volcanoes over the line which, in the end, was not enough to get them into the final.

Marquino Mindley, Royal, Bailey and Barnes all picked up two wickets each.