Pride roar into playoffs as Bishop’s five-for sinks Scorpions

Barbados Pride produced a commanding all-round display to seal an innings and 11-run victory over the Jamaica Scorpions on day three of their West Indies Championship clash, storming into the playoff spots while shattering their hosts’ hopes at Sabina Park.

The result catapults the Pride to 42.2 points, leapfrogging the Scorpions, who remain stranded on 34.

For Barbados, the comprehensive win yesterday afternoon secured their passage to the next stage in emphatic fashion.

Resuming on a precarious 22 for 1, with Brandon King unbeaten on 15 and nightwatchman Kirk McKenzie Jr on seven, the Scorpions’ hopes of saving the match, or at least forcing Barbados to bat again, quickly unravelled under a relentless Pride attack.

The home side added just nine runs in the morning session before Jediah Blades found the perfect delivery, one that kept devilishly low, to trap McKenzie plumb in front for 12.

The early breakthrough brought Javelle Glenn to the crease, and what followed was a brief but breathtaking counterattack.

Glenn decided the only way was forward, smashing six fours and a six in a frenetic 15-ball cameo.

Blades bore the brunt of the assault, and tempers flared when a heated mid-pitch exchange broke out between the bowler and the batter.

But Glenn’s aggression proved his undoing. With the score on 65, he holed out to a spectacular Shamar Springer catch in the deep off the bowling of Joshua Bishop for 30.

The Scorpions reached the first drinks break at 92 for 3, with King on 36 and Brad Barnes, 14.

King, looking assured, brought up a composed half-century off 102 balls.

But immediately after the break, Barnes fell lbw to Roston Chase for 16.

Then just as the Scorpions eyed lunch without further damage, wicketkeeper Romaine Morris was outfoxed by captain Kraigg Brathwaite, caught and bowled for 17 to leave the hosts wobbling at 128 for 5.

Abhijai Mansingh joined King, and the pair steadied proceedings briefly, nudging the total to 158. But the ever-dangerous Jomel Warrican struck, with King adjudged lbw for a gritty 63, an innings that included nine crisp boundaries.

Mansingh and Peat Salmon inched the Scorpions within six runs of 200 before Salmon was brilliantly caught at deep long-on by substitute Johann Layne off Bishop for 28. Salmon’s breezy knock featuring one four and three sixes.

Just when a swift end appeared inevitable, Mansingh found an unlikely ally in Odean Smith.

The dynamic all-rounder launched a ferocious counterattack, bludgeoning five fours and seven sixes in a breathtaking 46-ball innings. The pair added 86 runs for the eighth wicket, dragging Jamaica towards respectability.

But Mansingh blinked first, caught at slip off a snarling Warrican delivery that ripped and bounced viciously, departing for a hard-fought 35.

Six runs later, Smith’s pyrotechnics ended with a top score of 73 as he held out off Bishop with the score on 286 for 9.

The very next ball, debutant Khari Campbell played around a Bishop delivery and saw his stumps rearranged, dismissed for a second duck of the match.

Scorpions all out for 286, handing Barbados victory by an innings and 11 runs.

Bishop capped a magnificent individual performance, finishing with 5 for 72 to complement his four-wicket haul from the first innings. Warrican provided excellent support, claiming 2 for 39.

A delighted Kraigg Bratwaite praised the resolve of his team.

“Very proud of the team, as I thought we put in a good effort from the second game, getting the first innings with that big total Jamaica scored, and then coming here and getting the win in the last game. I think it was a very good effort.”

When asked about individual performances across the series, Brathwaite was measured but positive.

“Batting-wise was very good. Scoring above 300 in four innings, that was good. I still think we could get better. Joshua Bishop coming in after not playing the second game and getting nine wickets in the match was very good. I thought he’d been working very hard from January, and it’s good to see him get the performances.”

Scorpions captain John Campbell offered a frank assessment of his side’s campaign.

“I think we played pretty decent in patches. We weren’t consistent enough, both with batting and bowling.

“I was really impressed with the way Kirk McKenzie batted. He’s been putting in the work, and I think he’s reaping the reward. He’s showing a lot of maturity. With the ball, Peat Salmon did pretty decent, and Marquino Mindley as well, always consistent. But I think we fell away in the middle order.

“Every time we batted, we, basically, got a decent start, but our middle order didn’t cash in. It was always the middle order, lower order. Moving forward, we’ll have to improve on those areas if we want to advance in competitions like this.”