COOLIDGE – Windward Islands Volcanoes will chase 306 to win the second semi-final of this year’s West Indies Super50 Cup.
West Indies international Shimron Hetmyer collected his seventh List A hundred off 113 and fellow left-hander Raymon Reifer gathered a List A career-best 90 to lead the Jaguars batting in the day/night contest at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.
Hetmyer survived an early, close call and cracked 11 fours and five sixes in his 80-ball knock, and Reifer struck eight fours and three sixes from 104 balls.
Hetmyer and Reifer, a Barbadian all-rounder, shared 194 for the fifth wicket to be the rocks upon which Jaguars built a total of 305 for seven from their allocation 50 overs, after they were put into bat.
The stand between the Jaguars’ two left-handers eclipsed the previous tournament fifth-wicket 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.
A three-wicket burst from pacer Ray Jordan in his opening spell sent Jaguars stumbling to 63 for four in the 13th over, but Reifer and Hetmyer came together to set Jaguars up for a challenging total.
Jordan ended with three for 45 from his allotted 10 overs and former West Indies Under-19 World Cup-winning pacer Ryan Jordan finished with three for 42 from his allotted 10 overs.
Hetmyer was fortunate on 12. He edged a delivery from Jordan angled across his body in the 15th over and diving Volcanoes wicketkeeper Emmanuel Stewart failed to get his outstretched left glove onto the ball.
Hetmyer knuckled down and punctuated passages of circumspect batting with crisp boundary-hitting and purposefully reached his hundred from 75 balls, when he drove left-arm spinner Larry Edward to long-off for a single in the 39th over.
Both Jaguars left-handers were, however, dismissed inside the last 10 overs, trying to accelerate the scoring and put the game firmly beyond Volcanoes.
Hetmyer was caught behind off Barbadian all-rounder Kevin Stoute trying to force a delivery through the off-side in the 41st over and Reifer was caught inside the deep cover boundary off John, driving inside-out to the wind-swept eastern side of the ground in the 44th over.
The remaining Jaguars batsmen, however, persevered and helped their side equal the mark for the highest total of this year’s tournament set by the Hurricanes against Barbados Pride at this venue.
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) vs Volcanoes
(AR)
