Taylor’s five trumps Shiv’s hundred as Scorpions win first

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Shiv Chanderpaul’s splendid century proved in vain as Jerome Taylor produced an incisive five-wicket haul to wreck Guyana Jaguars and propel Jamaica Scorpions to their first win of the Regional Super50 in Barbados on Thursday night.
In a riveting contest at Kensington Oval, Scorpions posted 249 for eight off their 50 overs and then bowled out Jaguars for 208 off 44 overs, to come away with a 41-run victory.
The second half of the contest belonged to Taylor and Chanderpaul, the former Test teammates, who showed they were still very much at their best.
Taylor, who quit the longest format last year, grabbed two wickets in his opening spell and then returned late in the innings to grab another three, as he finished with five for 40 – his best figures in regional 50-overs competition.
Chanderpaul, discarded 19 months ago by West Indies selectors, showed he had lost little of his touch with a superb 101 which lifted Jaguars from despair at 14 for four in the eighth over and hauled them back into contention.
The veteran left-hander anchored two successive half-century stands with Raymon Reifer (25) and wicketkeeper Anthony Bramble (29) but once Taylor returned, Jaguars lost their last four wickets for 19 runs in the space of 25 deliveries, to collapse to their second straight defeat.
Rookie fast bowler Reynard Leveridge was brilliant up front in tandem with Taylor, and finished with three for 38.
Opener Chadwick Walton had earlier top-scored with 82 from 84 balls as Scorpions, opting to bat first in the day/night encounter, managed to raise a challenging total.
Antiguan Devon Thomas stroked an unbeaten 56 while Test batsman Jermaine Blackwood chimed in with 42 and Brandon King, 21.
Off-spinner Steven Jacobs (2-27), left-arm seamer Raymon Reifer (2-41) and left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul (2-48) all picked up two wickets each.