ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Marquino Mindley delivered a searing spell of fast bowling to propel the Jamaica Scorpions to a dramatic 40-run victory over the West Indies (WI) Academy on the final day of their fifth-round West Indies Championship clash.
With WI Academy resuming on 256 for five and requiring just 100 more runs for a come-from-behind triumph, they entered the day as clear favorites. Anchored by Carlon Bowen-Tuckett on 46 and Joshua Bishop on 25, the Academy’s hopes soared as the duo batted positively to push the score to 296 without further loss.
Marquino Mindley turns the table
Just as Bishop inched toward a well-earned half-century, Mindley struck with surgical precision, forcing an edge that wicketkeeper Aldaine Thomas gleefully accepted. The breakthrough ended a crucial 87-run partnership and sent Bishop back for a valiant 49.
Sensing an opening, Mindley struck again, this time removing Bowen-Tuckett for a hard-fought top-score of 70, leaving the Academy teetering at 301 for seven, still 54 runs away from victory.
From there, the collapse was swift and brutal. With no time to settle, Johann Layne perished for a second-ball duck, undone by Mindley’s relentless pace. Left-arm spinner Jeavor Royal then wrapped up proceedings, dismissing Jediah Blades and Nathan Edward with just six runs added to the total. The Academy’s hopes were shattered, and the Scorpions erupted in celebration.
Clinical bowling secures the win
Mindley’s decisive 3-46 led the attack, while Ojay Shields (2-51), Royal (2-77), and Brad Barnes (2-80) provided vital support. Their collective effort ensured that the Jamaica Scorpions clinched a crucial victory, the only match of the round to extend into the final day.
Elsewhere in the competition, the Guyana Harpy Eagles continued their dominance, securing a fourth consecutive win with a commanding 10-wicket triumph over the Windward Islands Volcanoes at the Guyana National Stadium on Friday. On the same day, the Leeward Islands Hurricanes showcased their prowess with a crushing 373-run victory over the Combined Campuses and Colleges at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.
Meanwhile, the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force made quick work of the Barbados Pride at Kensington Oval, securing a resounding innings-and-56-run victory on Thursday.
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