Arnos Vale cricket pitch gets high commendation

The coach of the Jamaican Scorpions has commended the efforts of the ground staff at Arnos Vale in preparing what he termed “a five-day pitch.”

Junior Bennett’s commendations followed his team’s nine-wicket win over the Windwards Volcanoes on Monday, in a ninth round fixture of the West Indies Cricket Board’s Professional Cricket League.{{more}}

“I am very impressed with it … It is a very good cricket pitch… Kudos to the ground staff, I think they have done a magnificent job… It was good to see over 1,100 runs scored,” Bennett said.

When Jamaica played on the same venue last year, the match ended in three days, as the Windwards won by an innings and 22 runs.

Making the comparison between then and now, Bennett analysed: “It was a pitch that support (ed) the spinners from the very first day; it spun viciously, but this is a harder surface that can last five days easily.”

Meanwhile, Windwards batsman Devon Smith, who has played on the Arnos Vale pitches for close to 15 years, noted that the quantity of grass present on the pitch for last weekend’s match varied from what existed in the past.

Smith, who was one of three centurions in the match, stated: “Everything about the pitch was good; there was no complaint.”

Batting first, the Scorpions scored 445, with left-handed opening batsman John Campbell making 135; Devon Thomas – 122 and Paul Palmer – 82.

Campbell counted 15 fours and 2 sixes, while Thomas blasted 13 fours and a pair of sixes.

Left arm medium fast bowler Delorn Johnson had 4 for 84, while spinners, Liam Sebastien and Keron Cottoy had 3 for 113 and 2 for 128, respectively.

The Volcanoes replied with 233 all out. Sunil Ambris top scored with 50.

Bowling for the Scorpions, off spinner Damion Jacobs had 5 for 95 and left arm orthodox Nikita Miller took 3 for 70.

Following on, the Volcanoes made 350. Devon Smith – 126, Jelarni Robinson – 64, Liam Sebastien – 52 not out and Kaveem Hodge – 45 were the main contributors. Smith’s innings included 8 fours.

John Campbell, who bowls right arm off-break, picked off 5 for 106 and Nikita Miller – 4 for 90.

Set 139 to win, the Scorpions reached 143 for 1, with Man of the Match John Campbell – 83 not out and Shacoya Thomas – 52.

In all, 1,171 runs were scored, while 31 wickets fell.

The loss condemned the Windwards to last place on the six-team table on 47 points, one fewer than fifth place – the Leewards Hurricanes.

The Guyana Jaguars sit at the top of the standings on 130 points, with Barbados Pride in close pursuit on 123 points. Jamaica Scorpions are on 82 and Trinidad and Tobago Red Force – 77 points.

The final round of matches this weekend pits the Jaguars versus the Scorpions at the Guyana National Cricket Stadium; the Pride engage the Hurricanes at Warner Park in St Kitts and the Volcanoes are away to the Red Force at the National Cricket Centre in Couva, Trinidad.(RT)