Guyana Jaguars beat Jamaica Scorpions by four wickets under the Duckworth Lewis and Stern Method (DLS) in Friday’s day/night Group B game at Coolidge to advance to the semifinals of the Regional Super50.
It was the closest finish in Group B of the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Regional Super50 after the Jaguars reached 213 for 6 with 8 balls to spare after they were set a revised target of 212 from 40 overs following two rain interruptions of significance.
It was the Jaguars’ sixth victory which propelled them to 26 points to occupy the top spot in the Group and to book a place in semifinals putting them one step closer to completing the regional double following success in the Regional Four-Day Tournament.
Chandrapaul Hemraj was named Man of the Match against Jamaica Scorpions after taking two wickets and hitting a career-best so far of 80 (CWI Media photo)
Earlier, Chadwick Walton won the toss for Jamaica Scorpions and elected to bat first on a hot day at Coolidge in Antigua.
The Scorpions were off to a positive start and with the score on 54, they lost Trevon Griffith and when Steven Taylor seemed set to go on to score a big one he was sent back after putting on 73 with the inform Walton.
Since replacing Raymon Reifer, Christopher Barnwell has smoked 215 runs in five matches at an average of 53.75 (CWI Media photo)
Jaguars debutant off-spinner, Ramaal Lewis then had Andre McCarthy caught at silly mod-on next ball without scoring and the Scorpions were pegged back at 127 for 3. Walton was then joined by Brandon King and the pair added 63 together, which included Walton’s second century for the tournament. He eventually fell for a well-played 104 playing back to a ball that kept low from left-arm spinner Veersammy Permaul.
Alwyn Williams and Odean Smith proved a brilliant combination in the dying stages of the Scorpions innings. Together they posted a 59-run partnership, which took the Scorpions to 264/8 from their 50 overs.
Chanderpaul Hemraj was the best bowler for the Jaguars, finishing with 2/22 and was supported by Jamaican Lewis with two scalps as well.
In their reply the Jaguars got their innings off to a flyer thanks to Chanderpaul Hemraj and Tagenarine Chanderpaul who came in for his first List A game for the Jaguars although he has played four matches previously for the West Indies Under 19 in 2015.
The opening pair reached 68 before Chanderpaul with strokes that resembled those of his father Shivnarine, fell for 27.
Guyana Captain, Leon Johnson once again couldn’t get his run-tally going as he fell for 5.
Then came the partnership that put the Jaguars on course for the semifinals. Hemraj and the determined Christopher Barnwell combined for 86 runs before Hemraj was out for a shot-filled 80 from 65 balls with five sixes and six fours, his second half century in his first season of List A cricket.
Barnwell continued and reached his second successive half-century but the interruptions for rain might have caused a lapse in concentration and he fell for 56.
The wickets kept falling as well as the rain for brief periods until Romario Shepherd and Ricardo Adams saw the Jaguars to a 4-wicket victory, reaching their target of 212 via the Duckworth-Lewis method.
Bowling for Jamaica Scorpions, Peat Salmon took 4/28.
Kent Spitfires vs USA Cricket
In the other Group B match of the day, Kent Spitfires edge USA Cricket by a narrow margin of 30 runs.
In fact, USA Cricket almost provided an upset when they had Kent on the ropes at 51/6 batting first.
But thanks to an 87-run partnership between Calum Haggett and Grant Stewart, Kent rescued their innings, posting 172/9 from their 50 overs. Stewart top-scored with 44 followed by Calum Haggett with 42.
The USA started slow and steady in the pursuit of their 173 target, but wickets fell steadily for them.
Sunny Sohal and Roy Silva gave them a chance of victory posting a 59-run partnership before Sohal fell for 29.
Silva went on to reach his half-century before becoming one of Haggett’s 2 wickets.
The USA eventually all out for 142, 30 runs short of their target.
The Jaguars have completed their eight group matches but the other team from the group to advance to the semifinal will be decided today. Scorpions will take on USA at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground from 09:00h while Kent will take on hosts Hurricanes at Coolidge in the day/night match. Kent are second on the points table with 21 points and need just a victory to advance to the next phase of the tournament while Scorpions on 19 points will need maximum points as well and hope for the struggling Hurricanes can create an upset. In the semifinals, Group A leaders, Barbados Pride will take on either Scorpions or Kent on Wednesday February 21 while the Jaguars will clash with Group A runner up Trinidad and Tobago Red Force the next day.
The final is on Sunday February 24 at Coolidge, the same venue for the semifinals.
