Jamaica Scorpions easily disposed of USA Cricket by 80 runs in their final preliminary match of the Regional Super50 in Antigua and Barbuda on Sunday but their spot in the semi-finals remained in doubt as English county Kent remained front-runners to take the final berth.
Choosing to bat first at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Scorpions compiled 259 for eight off their 50 overs with Trevon Griffith stroking a top score of 80 and all-rounder Fabian Allen hammering an unbeaten 62.
Steven Taylor scored 40 against his former team while left-arm seamer Saurabh Netravalkar claimed four for 45.
Scorpions then bundled out USA for 179 off their 50 overs, despite Jaskaran Malhotra’s 70.
Despite the win, Scorpions’ place in the semi-finals now hinges on the outcome of Sunday’s final Group B match between Kent and and Leeward Islands Hurricanes at Coolidge Cricket Ground.
Scorpions entered the contest in third position, two points behind Kent on 19 points, and the win saw them assume second position ahead of the county side.
However, a Kent victory over the severely weakened Hurricanes will see them leapfrog Scorpions into the semi-finals.
Scorpions lost captain Chadwick Walton cheaply for 13, lbw to Netravalkar in the fourth over with 28 on the board but the left-handed Griffith stitched up the innings with two key stands.
He posted 35 for the second wicket with McCarthy (15) before adding a further 88 for the third wicket with Taylor, who counted three fours and two sixes in a brisk 50-ball knock.
