AFTER the Jamaica Scorpions started day one on the back foot, speed bowler Ojay Shields says he has faith in his side to fight back on equal terms with the Guyana Harpy Eagles in the sixth round of the West Indies Championship at Sabina Park on Wednesday.

The Scorpions won the toss and chose to field, leaving the Harpy Eagles floundering at 61/6 at one point, but Kemol Savory’s slick, methodical, and well-executed century put the visitors ahead at 278-7 from 88 overs at stumps.

The 27-year-old, left-handed Savoy, who batted at number six for Guyana, hammered three enormous sixes and 14 boundaries on his way to 127 not out from 251 balls, his highest first-class total.

Shields claimed three wickets for 56 runs in 15 overs, including four maidens for the Jamaicans. Peat Salmon contributed two wickets for 64 runs in 18 overs, while Derval Green and Abhijai Mansingh each took one.

Savoy will resume at the crease with skipper Tevin Imlach, who has 33 not out from 93 balls.

Despite the difficulties faced, including dropped catches in the field, Shields is optimistic about the Jamaicans coming back stronger on the second day of play.

“Well, it’s never easy. It was a tough day. We had Guyana at 61/6, but we go again tomorrow (today),” Shields said.

“Well, drop catches are part and parcel of the game and so I won’t really chastise my teammates for dropping catches, but it does set us on the back foot.

“Well, that’s natural Sabina Park surface. In the morning, the ball seemed to seam around but any time after lunch, it gets dry and better for batting. So, we just have to push on and yes, definitely we can come back from this, as I have all confidence in my team.”

Savoy, who came at the crease at a challenging situation with Guyana under pressure, said that key was to maintain a cool head and wait for the right opportunity to score, and not to succumb to the pressure.

“First of all, I want to give God thanks and praise because without him nothing is impossible,” he said. “Stepping out there with the team under pressure, I assessed the wicket and it was a pretty good one to bat on. So I just said, you know what, I’m going to just stick in, see a few balls and capitalise on my bad balls as well. I tried to build that innings.

“After struggling at 60-something for six to make 278 at close of play, we would take that any day after with the start that Jamaica had over us. Coming back tomorrow we just have to bat hour by hour, session by session, and see where it goes.”

Earlier, Shields dismissed openers Tagenarine Chanderpaul (one) and Raymond Perez (four), giving the Scorpions the start they had hoped for. This left the Guyana Harpy Eagles at 12/2 in the 12th over.

After Guyana’s captain Tevin Imlach retired hurt after scoring one run, Green removed Kevlon Anderson for one, and Salmon rooted Kevin Sinclair (23 runs) and Ronaldo Alimohamed (without scoring) to leave the visitors struggling at 42/5 in over number 19, as sweet chin music began to play in the Stadium for the Jamaicans.

In the 28th over, Shields took his third wicket when he removed Veerasammy Permaul for 15 runs, making it 61/6 and at that stage it was all Jamaica.

However, the excitement was short-lived for the Jamaicans because Savory found a reliable partner in Motie, and the two brought the fight to the home team. They shared a 127-run partnership before Motie was caught behind off the bowling of Mansingh in the 63rd over at 188-7, capping a well-played half-century of 56 runs. Motie hit one six and eight boundaries from 86 balls in 153 minutes at the crease. Imlach then returned to the crease after nursing a finger injury and hit four boundaries in an unbroken partnership of 90 runs with Savoy.