Marooners for Group B top spot today

By BRIJ PARASNATH
THE Guyana Jaguars will be seeking to cement their place at the top of Zone B standings of the NAGICO Super50 competition when they do battle with the Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners in their final-round encounter scheduled for the Warner Park Complex, St Kitts from 13:30 hrs today.The Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners proved their worth and registered a crushing 91-run win over the high-flying Windwards Volcanoes in their Zone B second-round match at Warner Park on Friday evening.
The Windwards outfit had secured a thrilling one-wicket victory over the Guyana Jaguars in their second-round clash two days earlier and moved to top of the Group standings on 14 points.
But the CCC Marooners created a major upset by bombing out the Windwards Volcanoes for a meagre 66 runs in 23 overs, after having compiled 157 when they batted first in the day-night fixture.
However, the Windwards latest debacle and massive defeat allowed the Guyana Jaguars to climb back to the top spot by virtue of a better net run-rate, although both share similar amount of points.
The Guyana Jaguars impressive seven-wicket win over the Leewards Hurricanes on Friday gives them the advantage of 0.604 compared to Windwards’ -0.479. Marooners moved to nine points and have a very slim chance for a berth in the semi-final should Leewards Hurricanes create a similar upset against Windwards in their final double round-robin fixture today.
Left-arm seamer Delorn Johnson and swing bowler Mervin Matthew had the Marooners under a shell-shocked spell, and it seemed as if they would have collapsed to a record low score and suffer the ignominy of a crushing defeat, when they were quickly reduced to 27 runs for the loss of their six frontline batsmen.
But Jamaica-born franchise players Rovman Powell and Akeem Dewar fought back bravely and revitalised their innings. Together they featured in what turned out to be the match-winning seventh wicket partnership worth 93 precious runs.
Powell was the aggressor and made an attractive 71 that was embellished with three sixes and five fours off 116 balls while Dewar, the supportive partner, counted two fours off 67 balls for his invaluable 35.
Johnson had knocked over Mark Deyal (0), Anthony Alleyne (5), skipper Chadwick Walton (0) and former West Indies and Barbados Test player Ryan Hinds (4), while Matthew prised out Vikash Mohan (4) and Cassius Burton departed via the run-out route.
Vincentian Johnson returned to the attack and dismissed the rampant Rovman Powell and Trinidadian Jovan Ali (7), to finish with the impressive analysis of 9.5-0-37-6. Matthew ended with figures of 9-0-22-2 after he scalped Christopher Powell (11); while Kyle Mayers (9-1-38-1) was the other wicket-taker.
The drama that unfolded left the Windwards Volcanoes players gasping for breath and sanity with the devastation they suffered at the hands of the Marooners, whose bowlers wreaked havoc with only two batsmen reaching double figures.
Johnson Charles and Devon Smith made 10 each, while Andre Fletcher (3), Miles Bascombe (0), Tyrone Theophile (1), Sunil Ambris (8), skipper Liam Sebastien (8), Mayers (8), Keron Cottoy (1), Matthew (6) and Johnson (0) all finished with single digits to their names.
Surprisingly, Mr Extras emerged as Windwards topscorer with 11 runs to his credit, made up of four byes, two leg byes and five wides.
Chemar Holder was the Marooners most destructive bowler and had figures of 6-0-22-5. He was well supported by Christopher Holder 6-0-19-2, Ryan Hinds 3-1-8-1 and Vikash Mohan 8-1-11-1 as they sparked their team to an overwhelming 91-run victory.
Chemar Holder was voted “Man of Match”.
In today’s final-round clash, Guyana cannot afford to be complacent against the Marooners who seem bent on fighting for a semi-final berth should Hurricanes do them a special favour and beat arch-rivals Windwards Volcanoes in their clash at the St Paul’s Complex (starts at 9:00hrs).
Meanwhile, defending champions Trinidad and Tobago Red Force will seek to maintain their winning ways when they take on a much stronger Barbados Pride in the Zone A fixture at the Queen’s Park Oval from 13:30 hrs. Barbados have been strengthened with the inclusion of several of their West Indian players. The Red Force will also be strengthened with the return of Darren Bravo and Denish Ramdin, whose presence will add more excitement in what should be the most absorbing contest for the final-round matches.
On the other hand, the Jamaica Scorpions would be aiming to beat the ICC Americas by a huge margin and be able to up their overall net run-rate. They would also be hoping and praying earnestly for the Red Force to prevail over Barbados Pride and allow them the opportunity to clinch the Zone A second spot and sneak into the second semi-final carded for next Thursday at the QP Oval at 13:30 hrs.