A COMMANDING knock of grace and maturity from captain Leon Johnson saw the Guyana Jaguars register their second consecutive wins in match five of the Cricket West Indies (CWI)-sponsored CG Insurance Super50 Cup last evening in Antigua. The 33-year-old Johnson struck a brilliant unbeaten 102, his second List A century to guide his team to a five-wicket win over the Leeward Islands Hurricanes. Chasing 245, the Jaguars, who moved to the top of the points table on eight points, reached the target with 2.1 overs to spare. Johnson’s knock came off 123 balls decorated with 12 fours and a six. Guyana Jaguars made one change from their first round encounter, replacing batsman Akshaya Persaud with off-spinner Ramaal Lewis. They won the toss and decided to bowl first, restricting Hurricanes to 244-9 off their 50 overs.
Opener Kieran Powell fell narrowly short of a century, but the hosts made a positive start in an opening stand of 152 between Powell and his left-handed partner Ross Powell. The left-hander with international experience struck an attacking 94 off 97 balls with four fours and similar number of sixes. The fellow left-hander hit a 99-ball 61 comprising eight boundaries, but it took the introduction of left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie (4-45), to change the course of the innings, as he broke a threatening stand when he removed Powell (Ross). Thereafter, the batting collapsed. Motie, who was adjudged man-of-the-match, accounted for Powell (Kieran), Nitish Kumar (5) and Kacey Carty (11), at 184-4.
The pacers Romario Shepherd (2-50), and Nial Smith (3-3-47) then made further inroads, after which the remaining batting crumbled. Only Devon Thomas (24) and Hayden Walsh (15), managed any further double figures. The run chase saw failures again from openers Assad Fudadin, who made 22 off 56 balls and Chandrapaul Hemraj who struck three fours and a six in his 24. However, both were removed by Guyanese left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd, who had impressive figures of 2-24 from his ten overs. The attacking Shimron Hetmyer was run-out for nine, at 76-3 before Johnson and Christopher Barnwell combined for a promising fourth-wicket stand of 101, in which the right-hander Branwell contributed 49 off 52 balls with three sixes and a four.
Both Barnwell and Anthony Bramble (2), were dismissed caught at the wicket off pacer Sheeno Berridge (2-57) in successive overs, leaving the Jaguars at 191-5. The left-handed Johnson though, continued strongly in company of Shepherd, who was left unbeaten on 17.
The tournament continues today with Windward Islands Volcanoes up against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force from 13:30hrs.
Guyana Jaguars will be in action again tomorrow when they play Jamaica Scorpions from 13:30hrs.
