Nkrumah Bonner and Paul Palmer batted resolutely to rescue Jamaica Scorpions from 27-5 versus Barbados Pride on the opening day of the West Indies four-day cricket game at Sabina Park.

When bad light forced umpires to call off play yesterday, the Scorpions had recovered to 218-7, thanks to a 169-run sixth-wicket stand between Bonner and Palmer.

Score: Scorpions 218-7 (79.5 overs)

The 30-year-old Bonner, playing his first four-day game of the season, missed out on a second first-class hundred when he was dismissed for a polished 97.

Left-hander Palmer, 27, patiently compiled 66, only the second half-century of what has been a tough season for him. Ironically, his previous 50 this campaign was against the same opponents.

Jamaican-born pacer Marquino Mindley, 24, getting sideways movement, caused the most significant dents in the Scorpions’ top-order batting, snaring three early wickets to finish with 3-36.

The not out batsmen for the Scorpions are Derval Green, on eight, and Jerome Taylor, on four.

Yesterday, Barbados Pride won the toss and opted to bowl on a pitch that had a light covering of grass. They had almost immediate rewards as Mindley rocked Jamaica Scorpions, who laboured to 47-5 at lunch.

Three batsmen — Garth Garvey, Kenar Lewis and Jermaine Blackwood — went to catches taken between the wicketkeeper and the slip cordon.

Brandon King was trapped leg before wicket and left-hander Assad Fudadin was caught at mid off.

The slim-framed Mindley accounted for Lewis (six), King (zero) and Blackwood (five), while fellow fast bowler Miguel Cummins sent back Garvey (one).

When pacer Shamar Springer dismissed Fudadin (one) in the 14th over with the score on 27, the Scorpions were staring down the barrel and in danger of being swept aside in the opening session.

But Palmer and Bonner stubbornly hauled the hosts back into the contest through their big century stand.

Palmer, showing grit and composure, unshackled himself on occasions to hit six fours and a six from 204 deliveries.

Bonner also displayed patience, but he was a lot more fluent, while unleashing glances, flicks, cuts and drives with deftness and flair. He tallied 13 boundaries from 202 balls.

For their part, the Pride bowling was often times wayward and erratic after their early inroads. They were without ace left-arm finger spinner Jomel Warrican, who was selected in the team but did not bowl yesterday due to illness.

However, under cloudy skies in late afternoon, sustained pressure from medium pacer Carter, who found swing, and part-time off-spinner Roston Chase, who got the odd ball to bounce and turn, eventually gave the visitors some joy.

Palmer was caught at slip by Carter off Chase.

And soon after, Bonner was trapped lbw to Carter, but even then, the Scorpions’ score at the end of play represented a good revival.