KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica Scorpions battled to 173-6 on the rain-truncated opening day of the regional first-class match against Leeward Islands Hurricanes at Sabina Park on Wednesday.

Opener Carlos Brown has top-scored so far for the Scorpions with 68 not out, his career best in first-class cricket, while Abhijai Mansingh is unbeaten on 15.

The Hurricanes pacer Jeremiah Louis made use of the early movement on offer to grab 3-34, while left-arm seamer Colin Archibald had 2-23.

After the Hurricanes won the toss and asked the Scorpions to bat first, they made early inroads to leave the hosts wobbling on 59-5.

But wicketkeeper batsman Romaine Morris hit an aggressive 42, and shared in a 66-run, sixth-wicket stand with Brown to lift the Scorpions.

After Morris was bowled by spinner Rahkeem Cornwall, the stylish Brown was partnered by Mansingh in an unbroken 48-run stand for the seventh wicket.

However, rain interrupted play approximately 10 minutes before the scheduled tea break at 2:40 pm and wiped out almost the entire last session.

When the cricketers returned to the field shortly after 5:00 pm only a few minutes of play were possible before match officials called an end to the day because sections of the outfield were deemed slippery and dangerous.

-Sanjay Myers