A magnificent 105 not out from captain Rovman Powell guided Jamaica Scorpions to a three-wicket win over the Guyana Harpy Eagles in the second semi-final of the Super50 CG Insurance Cup at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Thursday.
The Harpy Eagles won the toss and decided to bat first. Openers Anthony Bramble and Kemol Savory put on 39 before Bramble was dismissed for 22 by Jeavor Royal in the 10th overth tall.
Savory would go for 15, caught by Brandon King off the bowling of Nicholson Gordon in the 11th overth tall.
Tevin Imlach and captain Leon Johnson then put on a brief 33-run partnership before Imlach took the first wicket of Odean Smith for 20 to leave the Harpy Eagles 76-3 in 18.5 overs.
That wicket brought Shimron Hetmyer to the crease to join Johnson and the pair brought up a hundred for Guyana in the 24th tall.
Johnson got a break in 23st when he was dropped by King in the 22nd over at 92-3 but his luck ran out when King made up for his earlier mistake to catch Johnson off Dennis Bulli for 30 to leave the Harpy Eagles 113-4 in the 26th overth tall. The Scorpions could have removed young batsman Sherfane Rutherford at the same time, but King dropped his second catch of the day in error.
Hetmyer raised his 10sth List a fifty from 47 balls in 31str tall. The same saw him and Rutherford keep Guyana past 150.
The duo continued to bowl the Scorpions and brought up Guyana’s 200 in 38 oversth with Hetmyer cruising on 69 and Rutherford on 44. With a boundary from Odean Smith on 40th further, Rutherford brought up his 50 from 41 balls and brought up the 100-partnership between himself and Hetmyer from 84 deliveries. Two balls later, Rutherford was dismissed for 56 to leave the Harpy Eagles 219-5.
Hetmyer was finally dismissed by Odean Smith on 44th finished for a well played 86 off 76 balls to leave Guyana 250-6.
Guyana were 296-6 from 47.1 overs when the rain started. Kevin Sinclair (33) and Romario Shepherd (21) were the not out batsmen. After a break of about 20 minutes, the Harpy Eagles brought up 300 in 47.5 overs, their first score of 300 in this year’s tournament.
Eventually, behind the wickets of Shepherd (28), Gudakesh Motie (0) and Veerasammy Permaul (0), Guyana were able to post 318-9 from their 50 overs. Kevin Sinclair completed 45 not out from 32 balls. Odean Smith finished with 5-65 from his nine overs for the Scorpions while Nicholson Gordon bowled well at the death to finish with 2-55 from his eight overs.
Jamaica’s reply was not off to the best of starts as Chadwick Walton was dismissed for just 11 in the fourth innings on 23.
Brandon King and Andre McCarthy then combined and put Guyana’s bowling to the sword, with King bringing up his second fifty of the tournament in just 34 balls as the pair took the score to 83-1 after 11 overs.
The partnership was broken in the 13thth when McCarthy was trapped in front by Gudakesh Motie for 22 to leave the Scorpions on 92-2.
15th the finish was then a bitter one for the Jamaicans as they brought up 100 but, in turn, also lost Brandon King for 64 off just 49 balls to remain 101-3.
Alwyn Williams (24) and Rovman Powell (31) were the batsmen at the crease as the Scorpions reached 150 after 22 overs. Powell brought up his fifty off 38 balls with a boundary off Nial Smith on 28th to take the score to 188-3.
Scorpions brought up their 200 through an Alwyn Williams six off Kevin Sinclair in the 30th overth tall. Just as the 100 was brought up, Williams was dismissed off the next ball for 45 to leave the score at 204-4 after 29.4 overs.
Jamaica lost their fifth wicket when Peat Salmon was caught off the bowling of Motie for eight with the score on 214 from 32.2 overs.
Powell and Dennis Bulli took the Scorpions to 248-5 before Bulli was dismissed for 17 by Nial Smith in the 38th over.th tall. Powell then hit Smith for a boundary in the same over to climb to 77 and take the Scorpions past 250.
With the Scorpions needing 34 off 37 balls, Sherfane Rutherford dismissed Odean Smith for 19 to leave the score at 285-7 after 44 overs.
A Jeavor Royal six in 47th Over brought up 300 for the Scorpions, leaving them needing just 14 runs to win from 22 balls.
Captain Powell then smashed a magnificent 100 off just 89 balls, including seven fours and three sixes, his fourth List hundred, leaving Jamaica needing 10 more runs from the last three overs to go through final.
Needing just three runs to win from the last two overs, Jeavor Royal hit Nial Smith for six to take the Scorpions to 322-7 from 48.1 overs, sealing a fine three-wicket win.
Powell finished on 105 not out as Motie led the Harp Eagles bowling with 3-48 from his 10 overs.
The Jamaica Scorpions will now play the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in Saturday’s final at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.
