Robert Haynes, head coach of Jamaica Scorpions, was over the moon on Wednesday after his team pulled off a breathtaking comeback victory over Barbados Pride in the West Indies Championship four-day match at Chedwin Park.

The Scorpions, who set a target of 324 runs in a shade over two sessions on a wearing final-day pitch, raced to 326-3 in exactly 61 overs.

Scores: Pride 348 and 317-8 declared; Scorpions 342 and 326-3.

The Scorpions’ seven-wicket victory was built on a rollicking 242-run opening stand between skipper John Campbell, who lashed 126, and fellow left-hander Kirk McKenzie, who blazed 135 not out.

Their partnership stunned the Bajans, who had declared their second innings on 317-8 after Kevin Wickham batted magnificently to attain “immortality” when he scored 108 not out for his second century in the match.

Haynes, even as he heaped praise on Wickham and the Jamaican pair of Campbell and McKenzie, labelled the Scorpions victory as the finest he has witnessed as the team’s coach.

“I think this is the best one I’ve ever seen — to chase 324 runs on the last day in 70-odd overs and to get it with time to spare,” he said during a post-match interview.

“We stuck to the task — we lost first innings by six runs, but we didn’t give up. We were scoring at four and a half runs per over so we decided at tea that we were going to have a go at it. Everything worked as planned, and overall it was a great team effort,” Haynes added.

Kraigg Brathwaite, the Pride captain, acknowledged that the Scorpions exhibited unusual patience in their first-innings approach, which kept them in the match after Barbados had racked up 348 on day one.

“To be honest, it was good to see the fight Jamaica showed — they scored at only three runs an over. I’ve never played a Jamaica team that would have batted that slowly, but it just shows that the guys are up for it, so we have to up our game even more,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

“We had a decent game, [though] we, myself included, ended up dropping a few chances toward the end. We weren’t too bad, though, I think bowling-wise we could have constructed some dot balls a little better and created a bit more pressure, but kudos to Jamaica because they batted really well,” Brathwaite said.

Resuming from their overnight position of 255-5, the Pride took their lead to over 300 runs before declaring.

Wickham and Shamar Springer, on 81 and 37, respectively, began the day with individual milestones on their minds.

Springer reached his half century but was dismissed by pacer Ojay Shields for 54.

Joshua Bishop (eight) was bowled by pacer Marquino Mindley as the Scorpions bowlers continued to pick away at the Pride.

But the 23-year-old Wickham, who thrashed a magnificent 153 in the first innings, was again imperious, manipulating the ball into gaps at will.

When Johann Layne was sent back by Mindley, the Pride declaration came at 311-8, with Wickham standing undefeated. The impressive Mindley ended with 3-48 for seven wickets in the match.

Facing an improbable run chase, the Scorpions openers batted roughly 45 minutes to the lunch break in relative ease despite a number of balls keeping low on an otherwise docile track.

Campbell, the more attacking of the openers on the day, kept the Pride bowlers on their toes, pouncing on wayward deliveries and also dismissing good ones to the boundary.

The West Indies Test batsman suffered a scare when a sharp bouncer from pacer Jair McAllister struck him on the helmet.

However, after a brief medical stoppage to clear him of concussion, he was back into the fray to continue leading the Scorpions fightback.

Campbell, 32, blasted his way to his 11th first-class century before he blasted a lofted drive off Shamar Springer straight to the long-on fielder Kyle Mayers. He blasted 11 fours and six sixes from 158 deliveries.

At the other end, the 25-year-old McKenzie was just as elegant in his stroke play, even if more tempered in his approach.

The Scorpions management had made clear their intent to push for the unlikely win by promoting big hitter Odean Smith.

The move didn’t work as Smith (three) was sent back cheaply, triggering a return to the standard batting line-up, with Carlos Brown coming to the crease.

Brown (21) was dismissed, but McKenzie brought the game to an end in style, smashing a four and a six off consecutive deliveries from left-arm spinner Joshua Bishop.

McKenzie, who drove and pulled effortlessly, ended with 13 fours and two sixes off 180 balls.

The teams are set to play the second and third matches of the bilateral series at Sabina Park from April 19-22 and April 26-29, respectively.

— Sanjay Myers

Javelle Glenn (left) of Jamaica Scorpions congratulates century maker Kirk McKenzie after the victory over Barbados Pride in the West Indies Championship four-day match at Chedwin Park in St Catherine on Wednesday. (Photos: Garfield Robinson)