A first glace at the scorecard of the Jamaica Scorpions in their Regional Super50 semi-final at Coolidge Cricket Ground in St John’s Antigua, it would be hard to think that hard-hitting batsman Chris Gayle was not in the line-up.
The Scorpions amassed a record-breaking 434 for four off 50 overs to pull off a comprehensive victory 292-run victory over the Trinidad Red Force.
The total is undoubtedly an impressive one at any level of the one day game and shows that Jamaica and by extension the west Indies are gifted with swashbuckling batsmen who revel in the shorter version of cricket.
Centuries by Chadwick Walton (117) and Jermaine Blackwood (108) were bolstered by a smart 95 from Rovman Powell and Steven Taylor (88).
Powell was deservedly given the man of the match award for his splendid all round performance which saw him also taking five wickets for 36 runs to skittle the Red Force for a paltry 142 and propel his team into the final.
The Trinidadians won the toss and opted to field. They were made to toil as Walton and Steven Taylor posted an opening partnership of 174 in 21 overs. Blackwood then joined the fray and himself and Walton added a 95-run partnership to seize the initiative.
With the score on 269, Walton fell in the 36th over. He clobbered nine fours and seven sixes in his 96-ball knock.
Enter man of the match Powell, whop was given a solid platform to take on the deflated Red Force bowlers. He smashed nine sixes and six fours to end with 95 runs off 45 balls.
Any hopes the Red Force had of chasing the massive total were quickly dashed as the Jamaica Scorpion bowlers complimented the efforts of their batsmen.
The Jamaica Scorpions will play the winner of the Barbados, Leeward Islands encounter on February 18.
