THE TRINIDAD and Tobago Red Force are on the brink of an opening round victory over Jamaica Scorpions with one day remaining in the 2022 West Indies Four-Day Championship at Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba.
Red Force were 22 without loss in their second innings at stumps on Friday chasing 81 for victory.
Keagan Simmons is 11 not out and Isaiah Rajah is unbeaten on eight.
Resuming day three on 234/6 in their first innings, the Red Force were dismissed for 273 to earn a lead of 132 runs on first innings.
Rajah, starting the day on 58 not out, was dismissed for 65. He faced 190 deliveries and struck seven fours.
Earlier in the innings, Yannic Cariah cracked 72.
The fast bowling pair of Marquino Mindley and Nicholson Gordon combined to grab nine wickets. Mindley snatched 5/70 in 28.3 overs and Gordon picked up 4/65 in 28 overs.
In their second innings, Scorpions improved but still only scored a modest 212 all out, a lead of 80.
Opening batsman and captain John Campbell struck 45 off 66 balls with five fours and two sixes, but the remainder of the top order could not cope with the pace of Anderson Phillip.
Phillip took three of the first four wickets to leave Scorpions on 80/4 after being in a fairly comfortable position on 67/1.
The Scorpions were limited to 123/6, before a 54-run seventh-wicket partnership between Jamie Merchant and Derval Green helped ensure that Red Force had to bat a second time.
Phillip trapped Merchant leg before for 30 to break the partnership and three balls later dismissed Mindley for six to grab a five-wicket haul.
Red Force captain Imran Khan took the last two wickets with his leg-spin. Phillip ended with figures of 5/82 in 15 overs and Khan bagged 3/46 in 16.5 overs.
Off spinner Bryan Charles, who took six wickets in the first innings, grabbed 2/49 in 15 overs.
SUMMARISED SCORES -
AT BRIAN LARA CRICKET ACADEMY
JAMAICA SCORPIONS 141 - Jermaine Blackwood 44, John Campbell 25; Bryan Charles 6/48, Jayden Seales 2/17 and 212 - John Campbell 45, Derval Green 41 not out; Anderson Phillip 5/82, Imran Khan 3/46, B Charles 2/49 vs TT RED FORCE 273 - Yannic Cariah 72, Isaiah Rajah 65; Marquino Mindley 5/70, Nicholson Gordon 4/65 and 22/0.
AT QUEEN'S PARK OVAL
WINDWARD ISLANDS VOLCANOES 339 - Preston McSween 86, Alick Athanaze 68, Devon Smith 52; Gudakesh Motie 4/62, Keemo Paul 3/84, Veerasammy Permaul 3/88 and 157/7 - Alick Athanaze 58; Clinton Pestano 2/25, K Paul 2/30, V Permaul 2/41 vs GUYANA HARPY EAGLES 327 - Vishaul Singh 93, Keemo Paul 73; Kenneth Dember 4/36 Sherman Lewis 4/59.
AT KENSINGTON OVAL
LEEWARD ISLANDS HURRICANES 172/9 dec - Devon Thomas 58, Kieran Powell 43; Keon Harding 4/42, Jonathan Carter 2/9 and 294/7 - D Thomas 112, Kacey Carty 55; Kraigg Brathwaite 2/7, Ramon Simmonds 2/39, Keon Harding 2/50 vs BARBADOS PRIDE 324 - Shamar Springer 91, Shane Dowrich 86; Rahkeem Cornwall 4/99, Colin Archibald 3/47, Terance Ward 2/42.
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