After Jamaica Scorpions drew first blood against Barbados Pride in the regional three-match bilateral cricket series, batsman Kirk McKenzie says he is bracing for more fierce battles between the two teams.

The 25-year-old opener scored 135 not out, his third first-class hundred, as the Scorpions chased down 324 runs for the loss of three wickets on the fourth and final day in the West Indies Championship match at Chedwin Park in St Catherine.

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

In Antigua, Leeward Islands Hurricanes are hosting Trinidad and Tobago Red Force and Windward Islands Volcanoes are facing title holders Guyana Harpy Eagles in similar bilateral series. The Red Force and Harpy Eagles are both leading 1-0 after winning their respective opening matches,

This season’s competition is a shift from the league structure of recent vintage as cash-strapped Cricket West Indies seeks to cut costs.

The top team after the bilateral matches will advance to the final, while the second- and third-placed sides will play-off to earn the right to contest the championship match.

To ensure match readiness, the top team is to engage in an official first-class match against West Indies Academy at the same time the play-off encounter is taking place.

Reflecting on the enthralling curtain raiser in which the Scorpions had to come from behind to beat the Pride, McKenzie said he expects more “tough” contests.

“We know it’s going to be a very tough three games. We’re up for the challenge, so let’s see what the other two games bring for us,” McKenzie said during a post-match interview on Wednesday.

“We came so close to first innings [advantage] and we lost it so the morale was a bit down but as a group we kept it together and said ‘it’s not over until it’s over’. This win ranks really high — there’s a bit of a rivalry between us and Barbados.”

In the run chase, McKenzie shared in a 242-run opening stand with captain and fellow left-hander John Campbell — a partnership which put the Scorpions in the driver’s seat as they raced to victory at 326-3 in 61 overs.

Earlier in the match, the Scorpions had made 342 in their first-innings reply to the Pride’s 348 on day one. The Pride then set the last-day target when they declared on 317-8 just past the midway point of the morning session.

The standout performer for the Pride was batsman Kevin Wickham, who struck 153 and 108 not out in the match. Their left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican claimed 5-71 in the Scorpions first innings.

While McKenzie and Campbell grabbed the headlines with the bat for the Scorpions, pacer Marquino Mindley was the bowling star with seven wickets in the contest.

McKenzie said the pitch laid the foundation for a riveting tussle between batsmen and bowlers even on the final day.

“I had to play straight and play high percentage shots, and just stick it out with the captain. We had a plan that because the pitch was keeping low we were just trying to play as straight as possible and it worked out for us,” he said.

“The conversations we had were to bat normally until tea and then make a decision [at the break]. The captain led the charge after tea and we just kept the momentum. I think it was an even pitch — a lot for the batsmen and a lot for the bowlers. It was on the lower side, the slower side but I think both teams batted really well on the pitch. It wasn’t a really hard pitch [to play on], but it wasn’t an easy pitch at the same time,” he noted.

— Sanjay Myers

Captain John Campbell of Jamaica Scorpions reverse sweeps during the West Indies Championship four-day match versus Barbados Pride at Chedwin Park.