Powell’s century steers Scorpions into the finale

Nov 18, 2022 Sports

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2022/23 CG Insurance Super50…

– King, Hetmyer & Rutherford blast half-centuries as over 600 runs scored

Kaieteur News – Guyana Harpy Eagles were unable to hold off a surging Jamaica Scorpions unit in the second semifinal of the 2022/23 CG Insurance Super50 Tournament last evening at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium in Antigua.

The four-wicket win by Jamaica has now propelled them into the final, which they will play tomorrow, Saturday, against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, at the same venue from 1:30pm.

Yesterday, Guyana batted first to post a mammoth total of 318 – 9 then looked on haplessly as the opposition, powered by an unbeaten captain’s knock from Rovman Powell, reached 322 – 7 in 48.1 overs.

Guyana’s innings…

In posting the imposing total, Harpy Eagles had a lot of good starts from the top order, many of which were not converted into the half century milestone.

Openers Anthony Bramble (22) and Kemol Savory contributed 39 before pressure mounted on Bramble. It caused him to produce a loose shot that got a top edge and was caught by Alwyn Williams at point, off the bowling of Jeavor Royal in the tenth over.

Harpy Eagles’ highest scorer with the bat, Tevin Imlach, was the new batsman who lost his partner, Savory (15), four runs later to Nicholson Gordon, which took the HE score to 43 – 2 in 11 overs. That brought the skipper, Leon Johnson, to the middle.

Imlach (20) and Johnson added 33-runs for the third wicket before Jamaicans ended that partnership with the score on 76. Odean Smith was responsible for Imlach’s caught behind dismissal on the penultimate delivery of the 19^th over.

In came Shimron Hetmyer, who partnered with Johnson (30) to add 37 runs for the fourth wicket, but the latter found himself in trouble attempting a sweep shot that got a top edge which resulted in him being caught at short third man by Brandon King.

King’s celebrations soon ended when he put down the new batsman, Sherfane Rutherford, in slip before he got off the mark. That came back to haunt the opposition as Rutherford and Hetmyer combined to add 106 runs from 85 deliveries for the fifth wicket.

During that time, Hetmyer reached his 10^th List-A half century in 47 balls while Rutherford took 41 deliveries to cross that 50-mark line.

The eventful 40^th over bowled by Smith had Rutherford pulling to the midwicket boundary to reach the half century mark, then clobbered a six back over his head before a beautiful come back by Smith that saw the left hander edge one to Chadwick Walton with the gloves. Guyana were 219 – 5 when Kevin Sinclair entered.

A 31-run partnership was established between Sinclair and the well-set Hetmyer but the latter lost his wicket with the score on 250. Hetmyer was caught by King on 86 attempting a big shot against Smith. He faced 76 deliveries in which he hit eight fours and three sixes.

That scenario brought together Romario Shepherd and Sinclair, who both batted well to accumulate the second highest partnership (63) of the Guyanese innings. With the partnership on 46, rain intervened.

After the interruption, Guyana reached 300 – 6 in the 48^th over. A six each from Sinclair then Shepherd in the 49^th over was followed by the latter being removed for 28 from 16 balls. Motie was the new batsman in and he immediately lost his wicket without scoring to set up Smith’s hat-trick that was put in-transit.

Gordon bowled an excellent final over that cost only six runs and claimed the wicket of Veerasammy Permaul (0). Sinclair ended on 45 from 33 while Nial Smith was at the other end on one when the overs expired.

However, Smith was the most effective Scorpions bowler with 5 – 65 from nine overs, Gordon picked up 2 – 55, while a wicket each went to Royal and Bulli.

Jamaica’s innings…

One would think, psychologically, a total above 300 would have always been challenging for the Scorpions this season, who passed the 200-run mark only twice in six matches, especially against a heavy spin attack, but that was not the case.

King’s blistering start inspired much hope in the early stages of the chase. Walton (11) was the first to fall when he pulled one to Permaul at midwicket with the score on 23 in the fourth over.

Andre McCarthy (22) was the new batsman, a mere passenger in the 69-run second wicket partnership with King. He fell in the 13^th over via the lbw route to Motie with the score on 92. During that time King reached 50 from 34 deliveries.

The opener progressed to 64 before he miscued one from Motie and was caught at long on by Savory. Jamaica were 101 – 3 in 15 overs. At the halfway mark of the innings, they were 173 -3 and needed 146 from 150 deliveries to win; Powell and Williams were set on 40 and 36, respectively.

Powell passed the 50-run mark on his 38^th delivery while Williams fell five runs short of a half century when he was caught and bowled by Sinclair; Scorpions were 204 – 4 in the 30^th over. Peat Salmon (8) was the next to fall ten runs later when he was caught behind off Motie.

Powell was dropped on 64 by Hetmyer in the 35^th over as the equation read 87 runs from 90 balls. Bulli, Powell’s new partner, contributed a run-a-ball 17 before the experience of Powell and Odean took Jamaica closer to the target.

The skipper reached his century in 89 deliveries as Jamaica needed 10 runs from 18 balls to enter the final. Powell finished on 103 not out while Royal (18) hit a six to end the match emphatically.

For the Harpy Eagles, Motie ended with three wickets, Nial Smith had two while Sinclair and Rutherford supported with one each.

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