Half-centuries from Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Shimron Hetmyer, backed by a comprehensive bowling performance from the Guyana Harpy Eagles, ensured them a seven-wicket win over Jamaica Scorpions on Saturday evening.
Scorpions, reigning CG United Regional Super50 champions, have been kept winless in this 2023 edition of the tournament. Having won the toss, they elected to bat first; and with rain reducing the match to a 47-over affair, managed only 181 all out in 46.5 overs.
Set a target of 184, Eagles rocketed to their goal with 54 balls to spare, the left-handed opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul striking his third half-century, a career-best 77 off 110 balls that included eight boundaries.
When Chanderpaul lost his new opening partner Kevin Sinclair for seven, he joined forces with Tevin Imlach, debuting as captain, and they added 86 runs for the second wicket. That partnership was broken when Imlach was dismissed for a 57-ball 30 after an innings that featured just one boundary.
Chanderpaul was then joined by Shimron Hetmyer, and a partnership of 63 runs for the third wicket followed, with Hetmyer finishing on 62 not out in an innings highlighted by two sixes and five fours. In this match, Hetmyer chalked up his best performance with the bat, and almost doubled his tournament figures in a single innings. The Scorpions’ Shalome Parnell picked up 2-26 in six overs.
When Scorpions batted, Kirk McKenzie was the first to fall, dismissed by Sherfane Rutherford (2-38) with just 12 runs on the board.
Chadwick Walton looked to steady the ship, but could not convert his start and was dismissed leg before wicket to Veerasammy Permaul for 26, having struck two fours and two sixes during his 45-ball resistance.
Two balls later, Permaul removed Nkrumah Bonner for 20 to see the Scorpions slip to 52 for three at the end of the 16th over.
Rovman Powell and Andre McCarthy collaborated to put on 53 runs for the fourth wicket. Powell worked his way up to 33 from 44 balls, while McCarthy made a 31-ball 23 before he was caught behind by Imlach off the bowling of Nial Smith.
Rain halted play with Scorpions at 111 for four after 30 overs, but when play resumed, it didn’t take long for Eagles to remove Powell.
Scorpions slipped further into disrepair when Sinclair removed Jeavor Royal for an 11-ball duck and Rutherford removing Dennis Bulli who failed to trouble the score in his three-ball stint, leaving the Scorpions at 118 for seven.
A late blitz from Brad Barnes, who top-scored with 36 from 53 balls, and Odean Smith (20) showed the fight in Scorpions, but they could not fend off the Eagles bowlers for too long.
Nial Smith ended with 3-26, while Sinclair ended on 3-48. Rutherford and Permaul each picked up two wickets for 38 runs.
