Kamau Leverock and Delray Rawlins produced a match-winning partnership to guide the Florida Scorpions to a convincing eight wicket win over Clarion County Eagles in their opening Group B match at the US Open Cricket T20 tournament at the Central Broward Regional Park in Fort Lauderdale last night.

Opener and vice-captain Leverock gathered an unbeaten 54 from 41 balls that included five fours and two sixes, while fellow left-hander Rawlins hammered a ruthless 38 from 21 with four sixes and a four.

The pair added 55 runs in four overs as the Scorpions scored 141 for two in reply to Clarion County’s 140 for six.

Rawlins clinched the victory with five balls to spare after scampering through for two runs off seamer James Fuller.

Earlier, Leverock helped lay a solid foundation despite the loss of captain Kyle Coetzer for a golden duck off the first ball of the innings as he added 86 in ten overs with Calum MacLeod (30).

The Bermuda captain reached a well-deserved half century off 37 balls with a single off West Indies off-spinner Sunil Narine.

Rawlins unleashed a vicious assault after MacLeod departed, belting a series of huge sixes square off the wicket to keep the Scorpions well ahead of the required run rate.

Both Rawlins and Leverock had a slice of luck to their innings as they offered chances off the bat and nearly played deliveries onto their stumps.

However, the pair would not be removed on this occasion and did an excellent job of seeing their team safely across the line without further damage.

Rumman Raees (one for 25) and Fuller (one for 14) claimed the two Scorpions wickets to fall.

Rawlins and Leverock also held their end of the bargain with the ball as they claimed a wicket each to help restrict Clarion County to under 150 after they had elected to bat first in this T20 contest that was reduced to 15 overs due to rain.

Left-arm spinner Rawlins was the Scorpions’s most economical bowler with superb figures of one for 14 off 3 overs, while fifth change Leverock took one for nine with his seamers from the only over he sent down. Leverock was unfortunate not to have taken another scalp having had a catch put down in the deep.

Safyaan Sharif was the Scorpions’s chief wicket taker with two for 27.

Top order batsman Nitish Kumar led the Clarion County scoring with 83 from 47 balls, while Williams Perkins chipped in with 33 from 21.

The Scorpions are back in action on Friday when they will face Titans Cricket Club. They will then meet Punjab Blues on December 9 and Samp Army on December 12 in their remaining group matches.

Samp Army edged Titans Cricket Club by nine runs in yesterday’s other Group B match.

Group A consists of US All Stars, Cavaliers 22 Yards, NDCC Royals, Brampton Pacers and Yankee Royals.

The top two teams from each group following the initial round robin phase will progress to the semi-finals.

The winners of Group A will meet the runners-up of Group B and vice versa to determine the finalists.

A new champion will be crowned as last year’s winners Atlanta Param Veers are not involved in this year’s tournament in which the teams are all vying for $100,000 in prizes.

The tournament runs until December 13.