Walton slams 169 off Hurricanes

Opener Chadwick Walton slammed his third regional one-day hundred.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Opener Chadwick Walton lashed his third regional one-day hundred and the second highest ever in the Super50 Cup, as Jamaica Scorpions crushed a docile Leeward Islands Hurricanes by 148 runs here Monday night.

The right-handed carved out a stroke-filled 169 from 131 balls, an innings that propelled Scorpions to an imposing 329 for seven off their 50 overs after they opted to bat first at the Coolidge Cricket Ground.

Superstar Andre Russell pummeled an exhilarating unbeaten 51 off 27 balls while Brandon King scored 38 and Andre McCarthy, 36.

In reply, Hurricanes were never up for the fight and were dismissed for 181 in the 42nd over, taken apart by off-spinner McCarthy who claimed five for 26 and seamer Odean Smith, who picked up three for 15.

Terrance Warde struck a lively 43 from 47 balls and Keacy Carty, a cameo 33 from 28 deliveries, but the hosts lost wickets steadily and never recovered.

The victory put Scorpions on 15 points, just three shy of leaders Guyana Jaguars, with Kent second on 17 points.

Hurricanes remained fourth on nine points and with no chance of making the final four of the competition.

The match, however, was centred on Walton’s brilliance. He started slowly but blossomed to smash 15 fours and 10 sixes, mainly straight hits down the ground in the arc.

He reached his fifty off 48 balls before raising three figures from 106 deliveries, and then motored to his 150 from only a further 18 balls.

Walton reached the landmark in style in the 44th over from off-spinner Justin Athanaze, with sixes off the first two deliveries. He also cleared the ropes with the next two deliveries in an over which gushed 26 runs.

Along the way, Walton put on 99 for the third wicket with McCarthy who struck five fours in a 54-ball knock, and a further 67 for the fourth wicket with Brandon King who notched three fours and a six in 45 deliveries at the crease. Walton put on 39 with Fabian Allen (6) for the fifth wicket and 46 for the sixth wicket with Russell, before finally departing after slicing a catch to point off Shane Burton in the 46th over.

Russell then took charge of the innings, belting a four and half-dozen sixes as Scorpions plundered 125 runs from the last 10 overs.

Hurricanes suffered an early setback in their reply when in-form right-hander Montcin Hodge missed a drive and was bowled by seamer Rovman Powell for one in the second over with one run on the board.

Carty and debutant Kofi James (18) combined in a 57-run, second wicket stand but the partnership required 63 deliveries, and applied further pressure on the innings.

James departed in the 13th over when he nicked a length ball from Smith behind and Carty, after punching five delightful fours and a six, followed three balls later in the same over, bowled by one which kept low.

Warde and the experienced Devon Smith (20) put on 68 for the fourth wicket to stop the rot but yet again, the partnership was not at the pace required – it needed 87 balls – and it left Hurricanes well behind the required run rate.

McCarthy bowled Thomas in the 28th over and it triggered a terminal decline that saw the last seven wickets tumble for 54 runs.