COOLIDGE – Guyana Jaguars reached the final of the West Indies Super50 Cup with a 95-run win over Windward Islands Volcanoes.
A destructive spell from left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie followed up a seventh List A hundred from West Indies international Shimron Hetmyer to seal the deal for Jaguars.
Motie grabbed four for 53 from his allotted 10 overs to undermine the Volcanoes’ batting and lead the Jaguars’ successful defence of a target of 306 in the second day/night semi-final at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.
Earlier, Hetmyer cracked 113 at better than a run-a-ball and Barbados-born all-rounder Raymon Reifer gathered a List A career-best 90 to lead the Jaguars to 305 for seven from their allocation 50 overs, after they were put into bat.
Hetmyer and fellow left-hander Reifer shared 194 for the fifth wicket to rescue Jaguars, after they stumbled to 63 for four in the 13th over.
They eclipsed the previous tournament record of 159 – unbroken – set by Leeward Islands Hurricanes pair of Devon Thomas and Jahmar Hamilton in the previous tournament two years ago at the Conaree Cricket Ground in St. Kitts.
Volcanoes then made a confident start with openers Alick Athanaze and West Indies Test selectee Kavem Hodge sharing 54 for the first wicket.
Hodge made 28 before he was run out in the 14th over to coincide with a period of tight control from Jaguars led by Motie, the most successful bowler in this year’s tournament.
When Athanaze was lbw to Motie for the top score of 58 off 75 balls, essaying an ill-advised reverse sweep, Volcanoes still needed 206 from 139 balls, a mountain they were never going to climb.
Jaguars tightened the screws and none of the other Volcanoes batsmen could cut loose to ease the pressure and the Windwards franchise lost their last seven wickets for 93.
Part-time left-arm spinner Chandrapaul Hemraj formalised the result, when he bowled Volcanoes batting bunny Preston McSween for one with 22 balls remaining.
The result sets up a showdown on Saturday at this venue for the title between Jaguars and Trinidad & Tobago Red Force, led by West Indies white-ball captain Kieron Pollard.
Red Force landed a convincing six-wicket win over Jamaica Scorpions in the first semi-final on Wednesday.
Red Force are the most successful team in the West Indies Super50 with 12 titles and will be seeking their first title since Jason Mohammed led them to victory five years ago on home soil.
Jaguars are the second most successful team in the West Indies Super50 with nine titles and will be looking to end a 16-year title drought.
Summarised scores:
Jaguars 305 for seven off 50 overs (Shimron Hetmyer 113, Raymon Reifer 90, Chandrapaul Hemraj 24, Tevin Imlach 14, Anthony Bramble 14, Romario Shepherd 11 not out; Ryan John 3-42, Ray Jordan 3-45).
Volcanoes 210 all out off 46.2 overs (Alick Athanaze 58, Kavem Hodge 28, Kevin Stoute 28, Sunil Ambris 27, Emmanuel Stewart 14, Keron Cottoy 11; Gudakesh Motie 4-53, Chandrapaul Hemraj 2-35).
(AR)
