Jermaine Lannaman, Star Writer

"Challenging", "difficult", "rough", were some of the words that were used to describe the pitch that forced an abandonment of the third Jamaica Scorpions four-day trial match at Sabina Park yesterday.

The pitch was into its second day when the umpires, in consultation with the national coaching staff, decided to call off the match inside the first over, after at least two players received body bruises and injury.

They are batsmen André McCarthy, who was hit on the finger on day one and had to retire hurt, and Shacaya Thomas, who was hit five times - twice to the head, twice to the hand, and once on his fingers.

"I can't recall getting hit five times in a game," said Thomas, who was 56 not out overnight, and was looking to score his first century of the trials on the day. "It was really a difficult pitch for batting."

The encounter, which was the third of six scheduled ahead of the start of the upcoming WICB Professional League, was called off after four balls were bowled on the day by fast bowler, Jason Dawes, who was representing John Campbell XI.

Campbell XI made a paltry 124 on the opening day with Paul Palmer XI responding with 84 for one when stumps were drawn.

Palmer XI added another two runs to their overnight total with young wicketkeeper, Kemar Marshall, who was not out on three, being the other batsman at the crease when the umpires intervened.

"A ball that you would normally look to come forward to, would just pop up, and, bounce over your head," noted 26-year-old Thomas, a recent West Indies 'A' representative.

"Judging the length of a delivery as well was also difficult to predict, in terms of going forward or back."

McCarthy, who said after icing his injury he was looking to resume batting on day two, explained that the pitch was a problem from the very outset.

"Balls were moving around and misbehaving from the first session on the opening day, when my team was in the field," he explained.

"But there was then a lot of rolling of the wicket during the lunch and tea breaks, and after play, and everybody kept anticipating that as the match went on it would play better."

The fourth trial match, slated to be played over two days, is scheduled to be played next Tuesday.