Andre McCarthy hit a top-score of 63 as Paul Palmer’s XI were dismissed for 317, setting John Campbell’s XI 310 to win at the end of the penultimate day of the Jamaica Scorpions’ four-day trial match at Sabina Park yesterday.

At the end of day three, Campbell’s XI reached 6-0 from four overs, needing 304 to win. The left-handed Campbell is on one with first innings top-scorer Shacoya Thomas on two not out.

The scores: Palmer’s XI 302 (82.5 overs) & 317 (86.1 overs); Campbell’s XI 310 (91.3 overs) and 6-0.

Palmer’s XI resumes batting at 4-0, but the skipper went cheaply adding only two more runs to his overnight score and was dismissed for four.

However, a solid second-wicket partnership of 102 between Guyanese Trevon Griffiths, who made 57 and McCarthy 63, stabilised the innings and set the tone for a decent score.

McCarthy stroked seven fours and two sixes in his 87-minute knock and faced 71 balls. Griffiths, who faced 93 balls, hit four fours and a six and batted for 154 minutes. Brandon King also hit 57 with six fours and a six.

Wicketkeeper Chadrick Walton, batting at number six, chipped in with 32, inclusive of three fours and a six from 83 balls. David Bernard Jnr made 26. Brian Buchanan closed the innings with a flourish, hitting 18.

Patrick Harty Jnr took 4-81, while Marquino Mindley snatched 2-32 and Nicholson Gordon 2-34.

In front of a partially empty Sabina Park, with the sound of every stroke and appeal echoed seemingly for seconds.

But for coach Junior Bennett, the preparation of Jamaica Scorpions is going well. “It is good to see another team getting over the 300 mark. I think they are batting fairly consistent through this game,” he said.

He continued: “The only disappointment is that there are a lot of batsmen that got starts and no one really carried on. It would be good to see if someone go on and score a hundred in this game. But overall as a team effort, we are quite happy.”