Captain Rovman Powell hit a superb, composed unbeaten hundred as Jamaica Scorpions produced a record chase to stun Guyana Harpy Eagles by three wickets here in Antigua Thursday and book their spot in the final of the Super50 Cup.
Harpy Eagles appeared to have the advantage when they posted a tournament-high 318 for nine off their 50 overs but Powell carved out a high-quality 105 not out from 92 deliveries to ensure Scorpions overhauled the target with 11 balls to spare.
Dropped on 62 by Shimron Hetmyer, Powell made Harpy Eagles pay for the indiscretion, striking seven fours and three sixes in romping to his fourth List A hundred, while surpassing 300 runs for the campaign. He was not lacking in support. Opener Brandon King lashed a swift 64 from 49 deliveries, Alwyn Williams struck 45 from 50 balls while the lower order weighed in with invaluable cameos which combined to help Scorpions’ cause.
“Adjectives are inadequate in explaining how I feel,” said Powell, predictably voted Man-of-the-Match. “I’ve scored two hundreds for West Indies, and this goes up there as one of my better hundreds. It’s a semi-final, a pressure game and it’s in a chase so it’s special for me.”
Hetmyer had earlier found form for the first time in the tournament, top scoring with an entertaining 86 from 76 deliveries after Harpy Eagles chose to bat first in the second day/night semi-final at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.
Sherfane Rutherford added 56 off 43 deliveries, Kevin Sinclair slammed 45 not out from 33 balls while captain Leon Johnson (30) and Romario Shepherd (28) also shone as Harpy Eagles eclipsed Trinidad and Tobago Red Force’s previous tournament high of 312 made in Wednesday’s opening semi-final.
“I don’t think we executed our plans and our skills well when we bowled,” Johnson said. “I think 318 was enough. It’s well above par on this ground and I think Jamaica came out aggressive in the power-play – we expected that – but I think we could’ve bowled a bit better.”
Anthony Bramble struck four fours in a breezy 22 in posting 39 for the first wicket with Kemol Savory (15) but they both fell in successive overs to leave Harpy Eagles on 43 for two after 11 overs. Johnson then added 36 for the third wicket with Tevin Imlach (20) and 37 for the fourth with Hetmyer before perishing in the 26th over, skying a sweep off left-arm spinner Dennis Bulli and being caught by King running around from slip behind the ’keeper.
Hetmyer arrived to take charge of the innings, belting eight fours and three sixes as he put on 106 for the fifth wicket with Rutherford who carved out half-dozen fours and a brace of sixes. When Rutherford nicked behind off pacer Odean Smith (5-65) in the 40th over, Hetmyer added a further 31 with Sinclair before finally falling in the 44th, holing out to short square leg also off Smith.
Sinclair swung his bat to good effect, counting four fours and three sixes in a 63-run, seventh wicket stand with Shepherd, as Harpy Eagles galloped past 300.
In reply, King launched a brutal assault up front to shock Harpy Eagles, lashing seven fours and two sixes as he posted 69 for the second wicket with Andre McCarthy (22), pulling the innings around from the loss of Chadwick Walton (11) at 23 for one in the fourth. By the time he picked out long on in the 15th over from left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie (3-48), Scorpions were galloping along at 101 for three, with the required run rate only a shade over six.
Powell then erased any doubt over the result. He started quickly, reaching his fifty from 38 balls before gearing down and posting 103 for the fifth with Williams, 34 for the sixth with Bulli (17), 37 for the seventh with Smith and a further 37 in an unbroken eighth wicket stand with Jeavor Royal (18 not out).
Scorpions will meet reigning champions Red Force in Saturday’s final at the same venue.
-CMC
