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THE Red Force were dealt a severe blow to their title hopes after a crushing defeat to Jamaica Scorpions, on day three, in the penultimate round of the West Indies Four-Day Championship clash at Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba on April 4.
The hosts were eyeing a positive result against the Jamaicans before a potential title decider against Guyana Harpy Eagles in the final round at home, but they were stung by the Scorpions, who prevailed by 223 runs.
Chasing an unlikely 389 for victory, TT batting flopped again as off-spinner Brad Barnes (4/19) ran through TT's middle, after pacer Odean Smith (3/19) had done the early damage.
Leg-spinner Abhijai Mansingh (2/27) wrapped up the match by ending Bryan Charles' resistance at number ten. He top scored with 28.
Earlier on day three, Jamaica resumed batting on 20/3 and were eventually dismissed for 187 in their second innings courtesy impressive spin spells from off-spinner Bryan Charles (4/82) and left-arm orthodox Khary Pierre (3/43).
Despite the second-innings failure, Scorpions were still in control after posting 372 all out in their first innings and bowling out the Red Force for 171.
Jamaicans Brandon King (89) and Javelle Glenn (22) resumed day three in the middle and frustrated the Red Force bowling attack. The pair rotated the strike regularly and made TT fast bowler Terrance Hinds and Pierre and Charles toil in the opening session.
Just before the tea break, Charles made the breakthrough as Glenn edged to wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva, which took Jamaica to 82/4.
Two overs later, Da Silva dropped new batsman Brad Barnes after the right-hander took a slight edge. King brought up his 19th First-Class fifty with a single off Charles before getting to 99/4 at the break.
The first ball after the resumption saw Pierre trap Barnes in front his stumps for the fifth wicket. However, King stood firm with back-to-back fours off Charles, and then lofting Pierre for a maximum.
Charles, however, struck at the other end as he had Aldaine Thomas (22) bowled to carry Scorpions to 146/6. King’s confident knock of 89 came to an end when he edged to Da Silva off a low, spinning Charles delivery.
One run later, Pierre bagged another, trapping Odean Smith leg-before-wicket, and then snared his third by dismissing Marquino Mindley in similar fashion, ten runs later.
Abhijai Mansingh (27 not out) played a neat cameo before final batsman Ojay Shields (eight) was bowled by Charles.
In reply, TT opener Kamil Pooran (four) got off the mark by striking fast bowler Marquinho Mindley through mid-wicket for a boundary in the third over. His presence was short-lived as Mindley rattled his stumps off the next ball.
Amir Jangoo (18) got off to a similar start by guiding Ojay Shields down to backward point for four. Jamaican pacers Shields and Mindley, however, attacked the TT batsmen with fiery, swinging spells.
Jangoo and opener Cephas Cooper (24) took TT to 32/1 at the dinner break.
At the resumption, Cooper flicked Shields for four, but Odean Smith had Jangoo bowled in the next over.
Cooper showed aggression with the bat alongside veteran Jason Mohammed, but after scoring 24 from 50 balls, he was caught by Kirk McKenzie off another Smith delivery.
At 60/3, skipper Da Silva joined Mohammed in the middle. The captain looked good and hit three fours in his first two overs to spark hope among the spare Red Force supporters.
Smith had other plans as he trapped the skipper in front his stumps for 16, just before the dinner break.
Off-spinner Brad Barnes wrecked TT's middle with the scalps of Pierre (eight), Mohammed (23), Yannic Cariah (zero) and Joshua James (six) in quick succession, before Abhijai Mansingh sealed the victory.

Summarised Scores:
JAMAICA SCORPIONS 372 — Javelle Glenn 140, Abhijai Mansingh 67, Jermaine Blackwood 61, Kirk McKenzie 31; Joshua James 3/40, Khary Pierre 3/87 & 187 — Brandon King 89, Javelle Glenn 22, Aldaine Thomas 22; Bryan Charles 4/82, Khary Pierre 3/43, Shannon Gabriel 2/28 vs TT RED FORCE 171 — Joshua Da Silva 86, Terrance Hinds 29; Marquino Mindley 3/37, Abhijai Mansingh 3/41 & 161 — Bryan Charles 28, Cephas Cooper 24, Amir Jangoo 18.

WINDWARD ISLANDS VOLCANOES 186 — Sunil Ambris 110, Noelle Leo 27, Kenneth Dember 14, Ryan John 10; Matthew Forde 2/19, Ramon Simmonds 2-32, Jomel Warrican 2/45, Dominic Drakes 2/48 & 316 — Kavem Hodge 99, Alick Athanaze 78, Sharack Descarte 50; Ramon Simmonds 4/47, Jair McAllister 2/35 vs BARBADOS PRIDE 198 — Matthew Forde 43, Kyle Mayers 40; Keon Gaston 6/52, Gilon Tyson 3/49 & 144/3 — Shayne Moseley 66 not out, Jonathan Drakes 35, Kyle Mayers 34 not out — Barbados need 161 to win

GUYANA HARPY EAGLES 193 — Kevlon Anderson 77 not out, Keemo Paul 31, Ronaldo Alimohamed 30, Kevin Sinclair 13, Matthew Nandu 10, Raymond Perez 10; Rahkeem Cornwall 3/25, Hayden Walsh Jr 2/26, Justin Greaves 2/30, Oshane Thomas 2/48 & 381/4 — Tevin Imlach 103, Kevlon Anderson 101, Matthew nandu 66, Raymond Perez 49; vs LEEWARD ISLANDS HURRICANES 335 — Keacy Carty 92, Jahmar Hamilton 80, Mikyle Louis 73; Renaldo Alimohamed 5/91, Nial Smith 3/62, Keemo Paul 2/61 — Guyana lead by 239 runs

CCC 238 — Shaqkere Parris 52, Kyle Corbin 48, Johann Jeremiah 47, Damel Evelyn 23; Joshua Bishop 6/78, Zishan Motara 2/57 & 279/4 — Johann Jeremiah 107, Shaqkere Parris 56, Damel Evelyn 47, Kieran Powell 35; Jediah Blades 2/49, Kelvin Pitman 2/63 vs WI ACADEMY 316 — Teddy Bishop 99, Mbeki Jospeh 65; Chemar Holder 4/81 — CCC lead by 201 runs
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