Campbell, Bonner proud of match-saving efforts against Volcanoes
JAMAICA Scorpions batsmen John Campbell and Nkrumah Bonner enter today’s start of the regional four-day cricket match against Barbados Pride exuding confidence after registering hundreds in their last outing.
Both scored triple figures in the second innings in the second-round match against Windward Islands Volcanoes as the Scorpions recovered to draw the encounter after facing the peril of a follow-on.
Left-hand West Indies Test opener Campbell struck 101 for his first century since taking over as the Scorpions skipper. It was his fourth hundred in 64 first-class matches.
“This will be one of my most memorable centuries because it’s my first as captain. I had no doubts about my form. I’ve been batting well — even in the previous innings prior to the century, but I just didn’t carry on to get a big score,” Campbell, 26, told the Jamaica Observer.
“I know the team relies on me, not only because I’m the captain, but as an opener. It’s very important to get the team off to a good start so it’ll be easier for the guys down the order,” he explained.
In Bonner’s case, it was his second first-class ton in 63 outings after previously reaching three figures for West Indies A.
The 30-year-old middle-order batsman, who missed the drawn season opener away to Trinidad and Tobago Red Force due to illness, was elated to get his first hundred for the Scorpions.
“It was an emotional feeling; scoring runs for your country is always good, especially when your team’s back was against the wall,” he told the Observer.
“Coming back from sickness is never easy, and going straight into a first-class game the intention was to spend some time at the crease. That didn’t happen in the first innings, but I reflected and prepared myself mentally for the second innings. There was a lot of pressure, [and] the game could have gone anywhere, so it was good to stand up as a senior player and make it count,” Bonner added.
Campbell noted the impressive second-innings batting performance from his team, while giving special praise to Bonner for holding the lower order together against the hard-working Volcanoes bowlers.
“The batsmen again showed a great deal of character in the second innings. Bonner’s innings — the way he batted with the lower half of the batting line-up — was really good to see. It was his first first-class hundred for Jamaica, so that was a really good effort from him,” said the Scorpions skipper.
— Sanjay Myers