Campbell’s all-round heroics end Scorpions slump
KINGSTOWN, St Vincent (CMC) – Man-of-the-Match John Campbell snatched a five-wicket haul and then smashed a cameo, unbeaten half-century as Jamaica Scorpions broke their four-game losing slump in the Regional four-day championship with a convincing nine-wicket win over Windward Islands Volcanoes here Monday.
Playing on the final day of the ninth-round contest at the Arnos Vale Stadium, the 22-year-old claimed five for 106 with his part-time off-spin to send the hosts tumbling for 350 in their second innings.
They resumed on 245 for four but lost their last six wickets for 105 runs with Campbell picking up four of the wickets to fall.
Veteran left-arm spinner Nikita Miller provided support, taking four for 90.
Set 139 for victory, Scorpions raced to their target off 34.4 overs, with the left-handed Campbell pummelling a stroke-filled 83 and fellow opener Shacaya Thomas scoring 52.
Campbell faced just 97 deliveries and belted six fours and four sixes, putting on 133 with the right-handed Thomas who counted four boundaries in a 107-ball knock.
He raised his half-century off just 52 deliveries, with four fours and two sixes, while Thomas was far more sedate, requiring 105 balls in nearly two hours.
The victory, which brought Scorpions 19 points, was their first since the first week of December last year when they beat Leeward Islands Hurricanes.
Volcanoes started the day poorly when opener Devon Smith added just one to his overnight 125 before missing a defensive prod at Miller, to be bowled in the third over of the morning.
The hosts then benefitted from an unbeaten half-century from captain Liam Sebastien who scored 52 and a solid 45 from Hodge.
The pair put on 39 for the sixth wicket before Hodge, who started the day on 27, played back to Campbell and was lbw at 288 for six after facing 151 deliveries and striking three fours.
Sebastien, who faced 172 balls in just under 2-1/2 hours at the crease and counted two fours in a patient innings, put on a further 24 with Kyle Mayers (11), before Campbell wrecked the lower order with the last four wickets going down for 38 runs.