Windward Islands Volcanoes, piloted by a maiden century from Tyrone Theophile and an excellent all-round display from Man Of The Match Kavem Hodge, beat Guyana Jaquars by 52 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method in the second day-night semi-final of the Super50 Festival at the Coolidge Cricket Ground on Thursday night.
The 28-year-old Theophile hammered nine fours and four sixes in a career-best knock of 107 off 104 balls as the Volcanoes amassed a daunting 286 for seven in their 50 overs.
Theophile and fellow Dominican Hodge, who struck four fours in a fluent 57 off 65 balls, shared a fourth-wicket stand of 107 runs in 17.2 overs.
Hodge, who bats right-handed, but bowls left-arm spin, returned to take three key wickets for 49 runs in a ten-over spell, using the new ball as the Jaguars were dismissed for 231 in 44.2 overs, chasing a revised target of 284 runs in 47 overs.
With a highest score of 37 in 26 previous matches, Theophile capitalised on the opportunity provided by the absence of Andre Fletcher.
He also featured in a third-wicket rebuilding stand of 73 runs with experienced former Barbados captain Kirk Edwards, who made 27 off 52 balls after the openers Johnson Charles and Devon Smith went for eight and 25, respectively.
After four wickets fell for 19 runs, Kyle Mayers and Shane Shillingford, with 18 not out and 16 not out, beefed up the Volcanoes’ final total.
Off-spinner Ramaal Lewis was the most successful bowler for the Jaguars with three for 54 in nine overs.
In reply, Guyana started shakily, losing opener Chandrapaul Hemraj in the first over from Ryan John for four as he was caught behind.
Tagenarine Chanderpaul was unfortunately run out for 12 as a straight drive from his father, Shivnarine, deflected off the boot of John on to the stumps with the batsman backing up too far at the non-striker’s end.
Shivnarine then entertained in a cameo 34 off 37 balls. Three of his fours and one of two sixes came in one over from John, which yielded 18 runs.
But Hodge made two vital strikes, holding a stinging return catch offered by Jaguars’ captain Leon Johnson, who made just four, before removing Shivnarine, whose paddle sweep was caught by Smith at short fine leg.
Wicketkeeper Anthony Bramble smashed three sixes and a four in a quickfire 27 off 23 balls, before he was well caught by Obed McCoy running in from long-off in the 20th over.
There was a temporary reprieve when rain stopped play but on resumption, the Duckworth-Lewis calculation showed that the Jaguars had a stiffer requirement of 286 runs in 47 overs.
Left-arm spinner Larry Edward put the issue beyond doubt with his first two deliveries when he had Christopher Barnwell caught at point for 25 by a juggling Kirk Edwards, and bowled Shepherd for a first-ball duck.
Veerasammy Permaul, after being dropped twice, made 37 off 47 balls with two sixes and two fours as he and Sherfane Rutherford, who top-scored with 49 off 53 balls, brought a measure of respectability to the Jaguars’ total with a 69-run eighth-wicket partnership.
But left-arm pacer Obed McCoy, who was belatedly introduced, ended the stand with his first ball, as Permaul pulled a short ball straight to Hodge on the backward square-leg boundary.
Rutherford fell short of a deserved half-century when he was run out on his follow-through by McCoy, who kicked the ball on to the stumps.
Mayers captured the final wicket when Mintz was caught inside the midwicket boundary for nine. (EZS)
