Opener John Campbell spanked a scintillating century yesterday to ensure Jamaica Scorpions stayed in command of the sixth-round regional four-day match against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force at Sabina Park.

The 24-year-old left-hander’s attacking 156 helped to power the Scorpions to 318-4 — a first-innings lead of 75 runs — when afternoon rainfall forced an early finish to the second day’s play.

The match is scheduled to restart 9:30 am today — 30 minutes earlier than usual to make up for time lost.

The 22-year-old Brandon King, who survived a chance before he got off the mark, struck 63, while Captain Paul Palmer is unbeaten on 68. Fabian Allen, who has struck back-to-back centuries this season for the Scorpions, is the other not out batsman on seven.

The visiting team’s left-arm seamer Daniel St Clair, 29, has snared 2-47.

The Red Force were dismissed for a below par 243 on Thursday’s opening day after winning the toss and electing to bat first.

Scores: Red Force 243 (82.5 ovs); Scorpions 318-4 (78 ovs).

Palmer, 25, was pleased with the performances of Campbell and King, with the two adding a blistering 157 runs from 178 balls for the third wicket after the Scorpions had fallen to 36-2.

“John batted with a lot of maturity… you can see the maturity in John and King as they applied themselves. It’s just unfortunate King didn’t push on to get the big one, but that’s the name of the game,” the home team skipper told the Jamaica Observer in a post-match interview yesterday.

He also acknowledged the importance of his innings, but said more work needs to be done if they are to build a huge first-innings advantage.

“I think I applied myself well to suit the situation, so we just have to come tomorrow and restart and try to continue in the same vein. A lead of 200 runs would be magnificent, so we’re looking to push it as far as possible. It’s the third day, we’re looking to bat as deep as possible and get as many runs as possible on the board and get a crack at them,” Palmer said.

The Red Force skipper Denesh Ramdin said his team battled well to contain the Scorpions on what remains a good batting pitch, but he lamented the early missed opportunity.

“It was a decent effort, but we needed early wickets and a chance went down. We dropped King and he went on to get 60-odd, so that was a turning point in the game.”

However, he was optimistic of salvaging something from the game.

“They’re ahead by 70-odd runs, so we need to come in tomorrow [today] and take some wickets and don’t allow them a big lead. It’s still a good pitch. Hopefully, we can get them out by lunch and bat and try to save the game,” Ramdin, who has handed wicketkeeping duties to Amir Jangoo, explained.

Earlier yesterday, the Scorpions resumed from their overnight score of 16 without loss with Campbell on 14 and his opening partner Trevon Griffith on two. But they lost Griffith (four) and Assad Fudadin (nought) to the persistent St Clair.

Campbell and King then combined to steady the ship, with the former adopting an aggressive approach to getting his team out of trouble.

Try as they might, the Red Force bowlers could not keep the left-hander quiet, as he drove, cut, pulled and swept with immense command.

The scoring rate bettered four runs per over throughout the day, but while the two young batsmen were together, it impressively soared above five an over.

Campbell reached three figures, with an emphatic straight hit for six against the bowling of off-spinner Bryan Charles off the 97th ball he faced.

Facing Charles again not long after, Campbell slog-swept the spinner over wide long-on. Contact with bat and ball resonated around the empty Sabina Park stands like the crack of a whip.

Some joy did eventually arrive for the Red Force.

King nudged an innocuous delivery from left-arm finger spinner Khary Pierre to slip for Ramdin to snap up.

Campbell still thundered on, but he went just after tea, playing a tired-looking loft against leg-spinner Imran Khan. The ball went into the leg side for Tion Webster to comfortably catch.

Campbell’s knock spanned 185 deliveries and included 11 fours and seven sixes.

It is his third hundred in first class cricket, and first of the four-day season after previously scoring two half-centuries.

A rain interruption that lasted 30 minutes followed soon after his dismissal. When play resumed, there came further showers at 4:17 pm that ended the final session prematurely.

Scoreboard

RED FORCE 1st Innings 243

SCORPIONS 1st Innings

(overnight 16 without loss)

J Campbell c Webster b Khan 156

T Griffith c Ramdin b St Clair 4

A Fudadin lbw b St Clair 0

B King c Ramdin b Pierre 63

P Palmer not out 69

F Allen not out 7

Extras (lb8, w2, nb10) 20

TOTAL (4 wkts, 78 overs) 318

+A Thomas, D Green, D Jacobs, O Smith, R Leveridge yet to bat

Fall of wickets: 1-32, 2-36, 3-193, 4-282

Bowling: Primus 10-2-47-1 (nb4, w2); St Clair 13-3-47-2 (nb5); Charles 20-3-70-0; Khan 22-3-102-1; Webster 4-0-23-0 (nb1); Pierre 9-1-21-1

Position: Scorpions lead by 75 with six first-innings wickets standing.

Umpires: J Williams,

G Brathwaite (Barbados)

Match referee: D Hayles

Reserve umpire: R Samuels