It was a battle of attrition yesterday at Sabina Park as Trinidad & Tobago Red Force pegged back Jamaica Scorpions in the seventh-round Professional Cricket League match.

The Scorpions batted first and toiled manfully against a steady Red Force bowling attack in mostly sunny conditions at the venue. But they lost two late wickets and were restricted to 197-6 by the close of play on day one.

Kirk Edwards struck 66 for the hosts, while Shacaya Thomas shelved his aggressive instinct during a carefully compiled knock of 64. Chadwick Walton and Nikita Miller are both not out on one.

Jon-Russ Jaggesar, the Red Force off-spinner, took 3-53 off 21 overs.

Score: Scorpions 197-6 (91 overs).

Augustine ‘Gus’ Logie, the Red Force head coach, said it was a fair contest between bat and ball. He said the fall of wickets deep into the final session was a major boost as his team looks to gain a substantial first-innings advantage.

“I’d say it’s honours even, really and truly. I think Jamaica would feel pretty good, but possibly a little bit disappointed that with the start they had, they didn’t press on. Trinidad would feel pretty good that we were able to pick up a few wickets at the end,” he told the

Jamaica Observer.

“Hopefully we can get them out for under 250, and if we can do that then we hope to get 350-plus and put them under pressure,” Logie added.

Thomas, the stockily build right-hander, said the going was tough on a pitch he felt was uneven in pace. He explained that the Red Force’s disciplined bowling approach also limited run-scoring opportunities.

“The pitch was a bit two-paced, but I think we have to give Trinidad credit because they bowled in good areas. Instead of coming at us they played the patience game with us and that forced us to bat a lot of balls to score runs,” he said.

The opening batsmen said patiently built partnerships of 100 and 66 with Edwards and Devon Thomas, respectively, were crucial.

“It was an uncharacteristic knock, but I know I have it in me. I got a 100-run partnership with Kirk Edwards and then a 60-odd run partnership with Devon Thomas, but in the end we lost those two wickets,” he said.

Scorpions skipper John Campbell won the toss and decided to take first strike on a Sabina pitch that had minimal grass. But the left-handed Campbell, who opened the batting, fell for only eight runs as he edged a delivery from the crafty seamer Marlon Richards to Evin Lewis at second slip with the score on 11.

Thomas and Edwards combined to lift Jamaica Scorpions to 111 before the latter attempted a sweep shot against Jaggesar and was trapped leg before wicket. Edwards hit six fours and two sixes off the 129 balls he faced. A highlight was a meaty blow to clear the boundary ropes at long-on off Richards to reach 50.

In-form Andre McCarthy and West Indies Test batsman Jermaine Blackwood both fell in quick succession via the lbw route as Jaggesar’s quick off-breaks gripped and turned sharply in the afternoon. At that point, the hosts were 129-4.

Some 66 runs later, the Scorpions were in a somewhat comfortable position when Devon Thomas (38) gave his hand away by hitting a looping full toss from leg-spinner Imran Khan straight to Rayad Emrit at long-on. Thomas crunched four boundaries and a six in his 38 runs off 90 balls.

One run later, Shacaya Thomas perished when he missed a straight delivery from Khan and was judged to have been struck in front of leg stump though his reaction suggested he felt the ball was missing the wicket. His marathon knock, which lasted 249 deliveries, comprised a solitary four.