Scorpions secure playoff spot

Scorpions fast bowler Marquino Mindley grabbed five wickets to bowl his side to an important 82-run victory over the Leeward Islands Hurricanes via the Duck- worth-Lewis-Stern method and earned a place in the semifinals of the Regional Super50.

Mindley finished with 5-28 from eight overs to help dismiss the Hurricanes for 182 in 34.3 overs in pursuit of the Scorpions 264 for nine from 43 overs in the rain-affected contest.

The win took the Scorpions to the top of the table on 53 points from their seven games, ahead of Trinidad & Tobago Red Force on 52 points and third-placed Barbados Pride on 43 points. The defeat leaves the Hurricanes in fourth position on 38 points.

Mindley trapped Kofi James lbw for a duck in his very first over with just three runs on the board.

Left-arm spinner Jeavor Royal dismissed Chesney Hughes’ for 16, but there was a 52-run partnership between Kadeem Henry and Jewel Andrew that carried the Hurricanes to 84 for two in the 16th over.

Odean Smith accounted for the wickets of Henry for 22 and Jahmar Hamilton for 6, with the Hurricanes slipping to 92 for four.

The Hurricanes’ innings was revived when Andrew and Karima Gore had a 55-run stand in nine overs, that left the score on 147 for four.

Off-spinner Brad Barnes then started the collapse by dismissing Andrew for 47, before Mindley snagged the wickets of Raheem Cornwall, Gore for 47, Hayden Walsh Jr and Jeremiah Louis in quick succession, as the Hurricanes lost five wickets for 43 runs to slump to 180 for nine.

Royal chipped in with 2-20, while Smith ended with 2-40.

Earlier, after being sent in to bat, the Scorpions got half centuries from Jermaine Blackwood and Smith and a knock of 42 by John Campbell.

Blackwood scored 54 from 69 balls, while Smith lashed 52 from 33 balls including five sixes and two fours.

Blackwood shared a 79- run partnership with Campbell for the fourth wicket, that saw the Scorpions cruising at 164 for three.

When Campbell was bowled by James, Blackwood lost his wicket to Walsh Jr soon after and the Scorpions suffered losing three wickets for 26 runs.

Smith finished the innings with a bang to ensure the Scorpions posted a formidable total.

Walsh Jr took 3-33, while Louis finished with 2-30.