JAMAICA Scorpions Head Coach Andrew Richardson says the failure of the team’s top order batting is the main reason for the seven-wicket loss to Leeward Islands Hurricanes in the regional first-class cricket match at Sabina Park.

The Stuart Williams-coached Hurricanes coasted to 189-3 on Saturday’s last day of the fifth-round encounter to overhaul the 187 runs required to complete their fourth win in a row.

Scores: Scorpions 221 (68.2 ovs) & 196 (62.3 ovs); Hurricanes 231 (58.3 ovs) & 189-3 (62.3 ovs).

West Indies Test batsman Justin Greaves, who top-scored with 62 in the first innings, again led the way with a highly composed 94 not out to carry the Hurricanes to victory on a pitch that favoured spinners. Wicketkeeper-batsman Jahmar Hamilton added an unbeaten 21.

The Jamaica Scorpions’ 31-year-old off-spinner Peat Salmon finished with 2-69 after capturing 5-50 in the first innings.

Opener Carlos Brown top-scored with 80 in the Scorpions’ first innings while Abhijai Mansingh led with 52 in the second.

Richardson told the Jamaica Observer that the game was lost when the top order gave way twice, slipping to 49-4 in the first innings and 54-4 in the second.

“The top five [in the batting line-up] did not turn up for this game,” he said during a post-match interview.

“They did not show the discipline that was required on this wicket and, subsequently, we did not get the sort of totals and partnerships — we didn’t have a foundation in [either] innings. The guys who batted in the lower order, they had to bring us to more respectable totals, and… that is where we fell down.”

He said the bowlers performed a rescue act in the first innings when they reeled in the Hurricanes from 201-5 to have them dismissed for 231, but couldn’t quite replicate the feat the second time around.

“The bowlers got us back into the game after the first innings — the Leewards were only leading by 10 runs. They [the bowlers] gave us early breakthroughs again in the second innings. I think we created chances and if we had held on to those chances we could have had a different outcome,” he opined.

Sidelined West Indies off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall, the Hurricanes captain, said it was a case of mission accomplished for his team.

“We came here with one goal, and that was to try to get a [win]. I think the guys fought for four days and we got the result we wanted. I think we were patient, we tried to [bowl] the ball in some good areas, and the pitch gave us some assistance,” the 31-year-old assessed.

The Leeward Islands Hurricanes’ Jeremiah Louis was the standout pace bowler in the contest, with match figures of 6-58, while Cornwall had 6-125.

Left-arm finger spinner Daniel Doram and left-arm pacer Colin Archibald took three and two wickets, respectively, to keep the pressure on the Scorpions while Jamaican fast bowler Oshane Thomas improved from a wayward start to take 2-48 in the second innings.

Cornwall highlighted the performances of 28-year-old pacer Louis and the 30-year-old Barbadian Greaves.

“As we always say in the dressing room, we need players to stand up. I think Jeremiah had a very good [game] with the new ball [and] Justin had a very good game with the bat. I think he [Greaves] was very good. He understood the conditions very well, he understood what shots he needed to play on the pitch [because] it was spinning square,” the skipper noted.

The Hurricanes picked up on Saturday from their overnight 145-3 and made light work of the remaining 42 runs required, achieving victory in approximately 40 minutes.

Both Greaves and Hamilton calmly hit boundaries but also ran a number of sharp singles and twos as they quickly breezed to the target, condemning the Scorpions to their third loss in five matches.

The Hurricanes have four wins from five outings after losing their first-round match against West Indies Academy.

The competition is scheduled for a nearly three-week break before resuming with round six on April 10. At that time the Scorpions are set to host Guyana Harpy Eagles while the Hurricanes are slated to take on Barbados Pride.