Robert Haynes, head coach of Jamaica Scorpions, says the batting unit will have to get its act together if the team is to end a two-game losing skid in the regional first-class cricket competition.

The Scorpions, who host title holders Guyana Harpy Eagles in a fourth-round contest at Sabina Park — scheduled to start this morning — have hit a snag after bowling off the season with victory away to Windward Islands Volcanoes over a month ago.

The Scorpions subsequently lost to Leeward Islands Hurricanes and Barbados Pride to slip to fifth in the league table on 32.6 points.

The so far unbeaten Harpy Eagles lead with 57.6 points, ahead of second-placed Trinidad and Tobago Red Force (55.4), the third-placed Hurricanes (50.8), the fourth-placed Pride (50), the sixth-placed Volcanoes (16.8), seventh-placed placed Combined Campuses and Colleges (15.2) and last-placed West Indies Academy (12.6).

Haynes told the Jamaica Observer that the “bowlers have been holding their own” so far, but emphasised that the batsmen have to step up.

“In the two games after [the opening win] I think what basically let us down was the batting. I think what was lacking was a level of concentration in terms of when the batters got to double figures… and then got themselves out,” he said after the team practised at Sabina Park on Tuesday. “We have four games to go and we have to make sure we get it right with the batting. The batting needs to be stronger in terms of building partnerships.”

Haynes says the Scorpions will be set back by the absence of regular skipper and marquee top-order, left-hand batsman John Campbell, who is nursing a groin strain. But the team welcomes the return of established West Indies white-ball top-order batsman Brandon King for potentially his first outing of the season.

Crafty pacer Marquino Mindley, who has begun the season with a couple of eye-catching bowling performances, is to captain the Scorpions in Campbell’s absence.

Another notable addition to the Scorpions squad is tearaway fast bowler Ojay Shields, who looked menacing and incisive when representing Combined Campuses and Colleges previously this season. The grass-covered pitch earmarked for this clash is expected to offer sideways movement for the pacers.

“It’s for us to play better cricket than Guyana, to make sure we are organised and we execute,” Haynes said. “We still have high hopes of winning [the 2025 title] because with four games to go, if we win all those games, anything can happen.”

The first-class season has been on a break since mid-February when the third round ended.

Guyana Harpy Eagles head coach Ryan Hercules appeared eager to see the fourth round get under way as he led the team in training on the eve of the encounter.

“We know we get good competition when we get to Jamaica… there’s the brand of cricket that they play and the brand of cricket that we play,” he told the Observer.

“It’s a big game for us to start this second [phase of the competition]. There are high expectations from the batting, bowling and fielding perspective. This is a young bunch of men, [and] we gel very well off the field… high energy level, very motivated and very eager to learn.”

The Harpy Eagles are captained by West Indies wicketkeeper-batsman Tevin Imlach, who was tremendously assured behind the stumps as the regional side left Pakistan with a surprise 1-1 Test series result in January.

Spinners Gudakesh Motie and Kevin Sinclair, who both played vital roles for the regional team in Pakistan, are also in the Harpy Eagles squad, along with the out-of-favour West Indies pair of batsman Tagenarine Chanderpaul and spinner Veerasammy Permaul.

— Sanjay Myers

HAYNES… the batting needs to be stronger in terms of building partnershipsPhoto: Naphtali Junior