Peaking Scorpions face defending champions for final spot

CWI Regional Super50 2017

By Ravi Madholall

Trinidad and Tobago Red Force will be anxious to get closer to retaining the coveted Regional Super50 trophy when they take on Jamaica Scorpions in the first semi-final today at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua and Barbuda.
After a thorough reflection at the preliminary round stage, the Red Force produced some handsome performances winning seven of their eight allotted games, a manifestation of their tremendous confidence, experience and buoyancy so far in this year’s Super50.
The other semi-final fixture will be played at the same facility tomorrow between a rampant Barbados Pride team and Leeward Islands Hurricanes, and that affair also promises to be riveting from the commencement at 13:30h.

Having lifted the trophy for the past two consecutive years and hunting their 13th regional title since its inception in 1976, the Red Force combination should hold the psychological advantage against their nemesis, the Scorpions.
New team, English County side Kent was the only side to stop the Red Force in the double-round preliminary segment.
Kent emerged by five wickets to shake off some confidence from the Trinidadian boys in Group A.
However, Red Force’s participation was characterized with seven convincing victories over Windward Islands Volcanoes, Leeward Islands Hurricanes and the West Indies Under-19s two times each while they got the better of Kent on a solitary occasion to end with 31 points.
The margins of victory says a lot of Red Force’s dynamism to succeed again.
Jamaica, who created a good impression too in the other zone to reach this knock-out stage, may want to play with the same level commitment and no doubt a greater degree of enthusiasm. Left-arm spinner Nikita Miller, the captain, has shown good leadership qualities like his counter-part Denesh Ramdin. Both will be banking relentlessly on their experienced cogs to wheel things off nicely.
Jamaica, who emerged second with 28 points, suffered two defeats in Group B but they managed to execute their plans and strategies wonderfully. With Barbados Pride, Guyana Jaguars also in the same Group along with the lowly-rated International Cricket Council Americas and Combined Colleges and Campuses Marooners, Jamaica Scorpions would have been aware of the challenges but they prevailed to be in another semi-final bout as anticipated.
Their highlight was the victory over arch-rival Barbados and that should boost their confidence immensely for this match-up against the twin-island republic lineup which seems very formidable. The Scorpions have won their last five games and it can be said that they are peaking at the right time.
In Antigua, both teams are unfamiliar with the conditions and to a great extent the pitch but based on what had transpired in the first phase of the tournament, the pitch is expected to be receptive more so. The defending champions have played four preliminary matches at the Coolidge Cricket Ground and are slightly more familiar with conditions and will once again use that to their advantage.
Jamaica fast-bowlers Jerome Taylor (six wickets) and the impressive Reynard Leveridge have used the new balls effectively while right-arm leg spinner Damion Jacobs has been their best bowler with sixteen wickets and is assisted by left arm spinner Miller (eight wickets) who used  his experience to great effect. They face an intriguing challenge against the batting star Evin Lewis who has been in fine form with 217 runs from 6 games, while Jason Mohammed, their leading batsman with 313 runs, Ramdin (202 runs from 8 matches), Kyle Hope, who also has shown excellent form with 208 runs from 7 games and the talented Kjorn Ottley among others are capable of churning out good results.
Jamaica batting will centre around the experienced Chadwick Walton (207 runs from eight games), Jermaine Blackwood, one of their seasoned campaigners with 198 runs having featured in seven games so far while franchise player Devon Thomas has been producing the goods scoring 215 runs from his eight matches in the preliminary-round stage and Rovman Powell (196 runs, 8 matches) just to name a few.
Trinidad and Tobago Red Force will be banking on the senior bowlers like quickies Ravi Rampaul, Shannon Gabriel and Reyad Emrit, slow-men Imran Khan and Khary Pierre to do the trick. Rampaul, their most successful bowler with 17 wickets in his seven appearances while Gabriel supported well with 13 victims from six outings. Emrit is bowling decent line and length but only snared six wickets from eight matches. Off-spinner Khan and left-arm orthodox Pierre have been penetrative as well.
Both captains, Ramdin of Trinidad and Tobago Red Force and Miller of Jamaica Scorpions will be looking to call correctly at the toss because teams batting first seemed to have batted more freely and compiled winning targets.
The first ball in the day/night fixture is at 13:30h.