Jamaica Scorpions qualified for the final with a three-wicket win over Guyana Harpy Eagles in the second semi-final of the CG Insurance Super 50 Cup at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Thursday.
Harpy Eagles won the toss and elected to bat first. Openers Anthony Bramble and Kemol Savory put on a 39-run partnership before Bramble was dismissed for 22 in the 10th over. At the end of the 11th over, Savory was next out for 15 runs as he caught Brandon King off Nicholson Gordon.
Tevin Imlach and skipper Leon Johnson then put on a 33-run stand before Imlach fell for Oden Smith’s first wicket for 20 to dismiss the Harpy Eagles for 76-3 in 18.5 overs.
After that, Leon Johnson and Shimron Hetmyer joined the field, and the total scoreboard was 113 with Johnson out. In the 4th ball of the 26th over, the Scorpions could have removed new batsman Sherfane Rutherford in the same over but King dropped his second catch of the day at slip.
Hetmyer brought up his 10th List A half-century off 47 balls in the 31st over. The connection continued to attack the Scorpions bowling and Rutherford hit a four off Odean Smith in the 40th over to bring the score to 50 off 41 balls. He and Hetmyer put on a 100-run partnership in 84 balls before Rutherford was dismissed for 56 two balls later.
In the 44th over, Hetmyer, who was batting steadily, was dismissed after scoring 86 runs in 76 balls. His innings included 03 sixes and eight fours.
When the rain started, Guyana were 296 in 47.1 overs. Kevin Sinclair and Romario Shepherd were the unbeaten batsmen. After a break of about 20 minutes, the Harpy Eagles scored 300 runs in 47.5 overs, their first 300 runs of the tournament.
Guyana managed to score 318-9 at the end of their 50 overs. Kevin Sinclair scored an unbeaten 45 off 32 balls. Odean Smith finished with 5-65 from his 9 overs for the Scorpions and Nicholson Gordon bowled well at the death to finish with 2-55 from his 8 overs.
Jamaica’s reply didn’t get off to a good start, with Chadwick Walton falling for 11 in the fourth over for a total of 23.
Brandon King and Andre McCarthy then combined to put the Guyana bowling to the sword, with King bringing up his second half-century of the tournament in 34 balls as the duo took the score to 83-1 after 11 overs.
In the 13th over, McCarthy left the field after being caught by Gudakesh Moti for 22 runs, and in the 15th over, King was out for 64 runs in 49 balls.
Alwyn Williams and Rowman Powell were the batsmen for the Scorpions as they scored 150 runs in 22 overs. Powell brought up his half-century in 38 balls with a four off Nial Smith in the 28th over to take the score to 188-3.
Alwyn Williams hit Kevin Sinclair for a six in the 30th over as Scorpions reached their 200. Williams was dismissed for 45, 204-4 in 29.4 overs. With 214 runs in 32.2 overs, Jamaica lost their fifth wicket when Pete Salmon was dismissed by Motie.
Powell and Dennis Bulli took the Scorpions to 248-5 before Bulli was dismissed for 17 in the 38th over. With the Scorpions needing 34 off 37 balls, Oden Smith dismissed for 19.
Jeavor Royal’s six in the 47th overtook the Scorpions to 300, needing just 14 runs from 22 balls to win.
Later, skipper Powell scored a brilliant 100 off 89 balls, including 7 fours and 3 sixes, his fourth List-A century. Needing just three runs from the last two overs, Jeavor Royal hit Niall Smith for a six to take the Scorpions to 322-7 in 48.1 overs for an impressive three-wicket win.
Powell finished with an unbeaten 105 and Moti bowled well for the Harpy Eagles with 3-48 in his 10 overs. Jamaica Scorpions skipper Rovman Powell was the man of the match with an unbeaten 105.
Jamaica Scorpions and Trinidad and Tobago Red Force will play in the final on Saturday at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.