Veteran Chris Barnwell’s maiden List A hundred inspired a 109-run crushing of Jamaican Scorpions, as Guyana Jaguars won their third straight game in the Regional Super50 Cup on Sunday night.
With Jaguars tottering on 21-3 in the ninth over, Barnwell blasted 107 off just 90 deliveries to dig his side out of trouble after they opted to bat first at Coolidge Cricket Ground.
Wicketkeeper Anthony Bramble followed up by punching 69 from 49 balls, while number nine Ramaal Lewis chipped in with a breezy 35 off 22 balls, to help fire Jaguars up to an imposing 299-9 off their 50 overs.
Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie then spoiled the Scorpions run chase, picking up 4-55 to move his tally to nine wickets from three games.
Seamers Nial Smith (2-15) and Romario Shepherd (2-26) supported with two wickets apiece as Scorpions declined from 116-3 in the 28th over, to 190 all out in the 45th.
Andre McCarthy top-scored with 48 from 55 balls, captain Rovman Powell chipped in with 32 from 44, while Aldaine Thomas scored 29 but decent partnerships were rare as wickets fell steadily.
Now winless in two appearances, Powell said his side needed a rethink, especially in their batting approach
“It’s atrocious,” was his candid assessment of Scorpions batting effort.
“We have to find ways as batters to get partnerships and once we get partnerships we can get a momentum but without the partnerships we will always struggle.
“It started from the openers and it came right down. It hurt the middle order. It’s just for us to go back to the drawing board and hopefully for the games we can better that.”
West Indies batsman Shimron Hetmyer, leading Jaguars in the absence of injured captain Leon Johnson, said the side’s winning streak was important.
“It’s really nice to be on the winning side to be honest and it’s always good to win back-to-back games. That’s what we always talk about and it’s a good feeling for us,” said the 24-year-old.
Barnwell struck four fours and half-dozen sixes, first adding 91 for the fourth wicket with Akshaya Persaud (25) before putting on a further 88 for the fifth with Bramble.
The two partnerships injected the innings with the momentum required so that when Barnwell was run out in the 38th over, Bramble put on 34 for the sixth wicket with Shepherd and 30 for the seventh with Lewis to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
Bramble belted four fours and sixes before he was seventh out in the 47th over, bowled by pacer Derval Green.
In reply, Paul Palmer fell cheaply for 11 before Aldaine Thomas (29) and Brandon King (19) attempted a repair effort in a 32-run second wicket stand.
However, Smith broke the stand, accounting for both wickets to reduce Scorpions to 63 for three in the 17th over and leave them with the task of rebuilding again.
Powell counter-attacked with two fours and sixes in a 53-run, fourth wicket stand with McCarthy who struck a four and three sixes.
However, once Motie got Powell in the 28th, he quickly added three more wickets as Scorpions collapsed to lose five wickets for 34 runs in the space of 45 deliveries, to be going nowhere at 150 for eight in the 36th over.
Jamie Merchant stayed around at the end for 24 not out but the game was already long gone. (CMC)
