2nd semi-final of CG Insurance Super50 Cup
Venue: Coolidge Cricket Ground
Toss: Windward Islands Volcanoes won the toss and bowled
Result: Guyana Jaguars beat Windward Volcanoes by 95 runs
Scoreboard: https://www.windiescricket.com/matches/206995/
It will be a battle of the Southern Caribbean for the Sir Clive Lloyd trophy, when Guyana Jaguars face-off with the unbeaten Trinidad & Tobago Red Force in CG InsuranceSuper50 Final on Saturday, after the Guyanese comfortably toppled the Windward Islands Volcanoes in the second semi-final.
Playing on Friday at the Coolidge Cricket Ground, Guyana’s victory was first set up by a magnificent century from Shimron Hetmyer, who was deservedly named the CG Insurance Man-of-the-Match. It was his seventh List A century of 112 and came off 80 balls with 11 fours and five sixes. He was well supported by Raymon Reifer who made a career-best 90 off 104 balls with eight fours and three sixes.
The left-handed pair boosted the Jaguars to 305-7 – the third 300-plus total in the 17th match of the tournament. Then, under the floodlights, leading wicket-taker Gudakesh Motie (10-0-53-4) then led the charge with the ball as the Windwards were routed for 210 all out in 46.4 overs.
Reflecting on the performance of Reifer and Motie, Hetmyer said:
“It (Reifer’s innings) was very, very good. From coming in at 60-something for four and batting with me throughout, it was very well done from him. I’m happy he is here coming from Bangladesh and overall great effort from us as a team. Motie has been the man with the golden arm for us this tournament and it’s just for him to continue being the man we can throw the ball to at any time and pick up wickets for us.”
The Jaguars started poorly with the bat and were forced into error by some outstanding bowling by the Volcanoes. They initially slumped to 63-4 in the 12th over as skipper Leon Johnson was out first ball, as he top-edged an attempted hook off pacer Ray Jordan – who had an inspired first spell of 4-0-12-3. Kevin Stoute took a stupendous catch as he ran in from the fence at long-leg and dived full stretch.
One run later, Hetmyer (12) was dropped by wicket-keeper Emmanuel Stewart. This proved to be the game changing moment as in partnership with Reifer who was playing his first game of competition procured a regional List A record fifth wicket partnership of 194. This eclipsed the previous mark of 159 unbroken between Devon Thomas and Jahmar Hamilton for Leeward Islands against Combined Campuses & Colleges at Conaree, St Kitts in Super50 2019.
Although the Windwards kept the Jaguars from scoring an even bigger score conceding only 49 scored in final 10 overs, with the bat they never looked capable of chasing the target. No one supported top scoring opener Alick Athanaze, who made a patient 58.
“We have done well so far in this tournament with just one hiccup versus Trinidad. Coming into the tournament we had a lot of preparation back home and have a lot of seasoned campaigners and guys who are in a good place mentally. With Covid around they didn’t have any (Mashramani) celebrations at home, so hopefully we can come out and win on Saturday and give the people back home something to celebrate,” said Johnson.
-CWI
