PORT-OF-SPAIN – Barbadian Raymon Reifer slammed a brilliant half-century as Guyana Jaguars rallied to pull off a sensational win over Barbados Pride in the NAGICO Super50 Saturday night.
Jaguars edged the champions by two wickets in a day/night thriller, spurred on by Reifer playing a gallant role to be undefeated on 84 and receiving support along the way.
The cliffhanger encounter played, especially in the final moments, like a grand finale as the Jaguars clawed their way back from a path of defeat to the edge of victory, needing one run from four balls after the scores were tied at 168 runs.
Reifer’s batting heroics pulled the Jaguars out of slumps at various stages to secure their second win. They are virtually assured of a place in the semi-finals.
He hit five fours and three sixes and dominated the innings to cancel out another impressive half-century from Kraigg Brathwaite which set up Pride’s total of 168 for four after they won the toss and decided to bat.
Guyana suffered an early setback on the chase, stumbling to two wickets for two runs when openers Trevon Griffith and Rajendra Chandrika were removed for duck and two, respectively, and plunged to 32 for three after Shivnarine Chanderpaul was caught for 15.
Reifer put on 39 runs for the third wicket with Chanderpaul and 41 for the fourth wicket with captain Chris Barnwell who was run out for 16, before Guyana experienced another batting collapse.
Three wickets fell quickly as the Jaguars plummeted to 77 for seven, adding just three runs to the total during that shaky period.
Reifer, voted Man Of The Match, again led the revival by sharing a 51-run stand with Veerasammy Permaul for the seventh wicket.
Tailender Devendra Bishoo batted sensibly to be not out on 26, providing vital support to Reifer in a late innings partnership that produced 41 runs to ensure victory for the Jaguars with four balls to spare.
Javon Searles and Ryan Hinds grabbed two wickets each for Barbados Pride.
Earlier, the inform Brathwaite top scored for the Bajans with a powerful knock of 73 that featured six fours and a six and was part of a solid opening stand of 67 with Shai Hope.
Hope, who scored 26, was the first of three victims caught behind by Anthony Bramble as Barbados lost three wickets while adding 22 runs. But a third-wicket stand of 46 between Brathwaite and Ryan Hinds reignited the innings until Brathwaite was run out. Hinds ended not out on 37.
The match was reduced to 36 overs a side because of rain which delayed the start of play. (CMC)
