Jamaica Scorpions steadily built a handy, 61-run, first-innings lead against Windward Islands Volcanoes in the regional four-day cricket match at Sabina Park, despite the visitors’ spinner Shane Shillingford claiming five wickets yesterday.

By the time umpires called off play early at 4:26 pm due to bad light brought on by overcast conditions in the late afternoon, the Scorpions were 261-8 in response to the 200 all out the Volcanoes made on Thursday’s opening day.

Play is scheduled to begin 9:30 am today — 30 minutes earlier than usual to make up for time lost.Scores: Volcanoes 200 (83 overs); Scorpions 261-8 (94.3 overs).The 34-year-old off-spinner Shillingford has figures of 5-72 off 33 overs on a pitch that has offered ample turn and bounce for the slower bowlers.

Jamaica Scorpions left-hand opening batsman John Campbell has top-scored so far with a 79-ball knock of 71. Campbell, 24, crunched seven fours and three sixes in his free-scoring innings.Middle order batsman Fabian Allen, in his first time back since missing two games due to a calf injury, is unbeaten on 57. Allen, 22, was fluent while creaming seven fours while facing 113 deliveries. With him is Captain Nikita Miller, on 29.

The unbroken, ninth-wicket partnership of 52 runs between Allen and Miller rescued the Scorpions after they lost four lower, middle order wickets in quick succession. At one stage, the Scorpions were well-placed on 184-4, but a flurry of wickets — to a combination of injudicious and tentative stroke play — saw them slump to 209-8.Earlier, the Scorpions resumed from their overnight score of 43 without loss, with Campbell unbeaten on 37 and his left-handed opening partner Trevon Griffith on five.

They extended their first-wicket stand to 96 runs as Campbell maintained his attacking modus from the day before. But Campbell fell 29 runs short of his third first class century when left-arm wrist spinner Audy Alexander had the left-hander offer wicketkeeper Denis Smith the first of his four catches on the day.Left-hander Assad Fudadin, a Guyanese-born player, made only four before he went to the combination of medium pacer Kyle Mayers and wicketkeeper Smith.And Griffith, also from Guyana, perished when Smith ran around to take an easy lobbed catch from bat and the pad off Shillingford.Left-hander Paul Palmer (five) was bowled after lunch by pacer Sherman Lewis as the Scorpions reached 149-4.

Brandon King, who batted stubbornly for his 35, then fell to the Shillingford-Smith duo as the Volcanoes intensified their bowling and fielding efforts.By that time, Allen, who batted at number six, had entered the fray and was showing the kind of form that brought him 169 runs not out — his maiden first class hundred — away to Trinidad and Tobago Red Force earlier in the season.

He played a few sumptuous cover drives off Alexander. He also followed with sweetly timed drives against the off spin pair of Shillingford and Kenneth Dember, but at the other end wickets kept tumbling.Wicketkeeper Steven Taylor’s demise came in the softest possible fashion when, on five, he inexplicably tried to clear long off fielder Lewis and instead only succeeded in offering him an easy catch off Shillingford’s bowling.

Shillingford also mopped up Derval Green (nought) and Damion Jacobs as the hosts appeared destined for only a slim, first-innings lead. However, Allen and Miller fought back the marauding visitors and at close, kept the Scorpions in pole position.

Scoreboard

VOLCANOES 1st Innings 200

SCORPIONS 1st Innings

(overnight 43 without loss)

J Campbell c wkpr DDH Smith b Alexander 71

T Griffith c wkpr DDH Smith b Shane Shillingford 3 7

A Fudadin c wkpr DDH Smith b Mayers 4

B King c wkpr DDH Smith b Shillingford 35

P Palmer b Lewis 5

F Allen not out 57

+S Taylor c Lewis b Shillingford 5

D Green c Mayers b Shillingford 0

D Jacobs c Mayers b Shillingford 3

*N Miller not out 29

Extras (lb6, nb9) 15

TOTAL (8 wkts, 94.3 overs) 261

R Leveridge yet to bat

Bowling: Lewis 15-2-45-1; Mayers 13-4-31-1 (nb2); Shillingford 33-8-72-5; Dember 13.3-1-39-0; Alexander 15-1-54-1 (nb7); Theophile 5-0-14-0

Position: Scorpions lead by 61 with two first-innings wickets standing

Umpires: C Taylor, G Brathwaite (Barbados)

Match referee: D Hayles

Reserve umpire: J Williams