TION Webster, more known for his batting, grabbed a five-wicket haul for the TT Red Force on day two in the final round match of the West Indies Four-Day Championships against Jamaica Scorpions at Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba on Thursday.
Webster snatched 5/36 in 9.4 overs with his medium pace to help dismiss Scorpions for 125 in their first innings after starting the day on 5/1. It meant Red Force earned a massive lead of 177 runs after scoring 302 on day one.
Scorpions were 50/7 at one stage as the Jamaican franchise continued to struggle with the bat this season. Derval Green and Jeavor Royal showed fight for Scorpions, putting on 62 runs for the eighth-wicket.
Fast bowler Terrance Hinds, who scored 94 on day one, removed Royal for 27 to break the partnership as Scorpions were reduced to 112/8.
Hinds then got the wicket of Green for 37, who faced 47 balls and struck eight fours. Webster then dismissed Ojay Shields for eight caught and bowled to wrap up the innings and get a five-wicket haul.
Hinds ended with 3/40 in eight overs and fast bowler Anderson Phillip picked up 2/13 in six overs.
Scorpions were forced to follow on and again lost an early wicket when Tevin Gilzene was given out leg before for two to give Phillip the wicket.
The top order showed more resistance in the second innings as captain Jermaine Blackwood and Leroy Lugg added more than 100 runs for the second wicket.
Blackwood usually plays aggressively, but he played the supporting role on this occasion as Lugg attacked the Red Force bowlers. He raced to his half century, before Phillip removed him for 66. He faced just 57 deliveries and struck nine fours and three sixes.
Scorpions got another solid partnership from Blackwood and Carlos Brown as the pair put on 50 for the third wicket. Brown fell for 16 as leg spinner Imran Khan got into the action. Scorpions were now 162/3 and still trailing Red Force by 15 runs.
Blackwood could not bat until the end of the day’s play as off spinner Bryan Charles dismissed him for 68. The diminutive right-hander faced 137 balls and lashed nine fours.
Red Force got another wicket before the close as Scorpions closed on 199/5, a small lead of 22 runs heading into day three on Friday. Abhijai Mansingh (ten) and Aldaine Thomas (seven) are the not out batsmen for the Scorpions.
Summarised Scores:
TT RED FORCE 302 (Terrance Hinds 94, Anderson Phillip 63; Derval Green 3/56, Marquino Mindley 2/56, Jeavor Royal 2/60, Ojay Shields 2/72) vs JAMAICA SCORPIONS 125 (D Green 39; Tion Webster 5/36, T Hinds 3/40, A Phillip 2/13) and 199/5 (Jermaine Blackwood 68, Leroy Lugg 66; A Phillip 2/21, Bryan Charles 2/68)
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