WINDIES SUPER50 CUP: Barnwell misses hundred, but Jaguars claim key victory
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – A career-best, unbeaten 99 from Christopher Barnwell and an even half-century from Raymon Reifer formalised a seven-wicket victory for Guyana Jaguars over Canada in the WINDIES Super50 Cup on Tuesday here.
Barnwell led the way with a 76-ball knock that was spiced with seven fours and four sixes, and Reifer was not out 50 from 58 balls that included three fours and one six, as the 10-time champions secured their second bonus-point victory in the rain-marred contest to move into second-place in Group “A”.
In the other contest, rain forced a no-result between WINDIES “B” and Windward Islands.
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At the Brian Lara Cricket Academy: Chasing 203 for victory, the Jaguars always looked ahead of the game, even though they lost a cluster of wickets in the space of 12 deliveries that left woozy on 51 for three in the eighth over.
But left-hander Reifer came to the crease and settled the nerves, when he linked with Barnwell to put on 153 – unbroken – for the fourth wicket that got the Jags over the finish line in 29.4 overs – a healthy enough scoring rate to earn them a bonus point.
No Canada bowler distinguished himself, but Romesh Galkandage Don poached 2-29 from six overs.
Earlier, Navneet Dhaliwal hit the score for Canada of 88 from 110 balls that contained seven fours and three sixes and was the glue that held the innings together before his dismissal in the 38th over triggered a slump.
He dominated stands of 45 with Harsh Thaker and 43 with Nitish Kumar for the third and fourth wickets respectively, but it was his fifth wicket stand of 59 with skipper David Jacobs that gave the Canadians the basis for a total of 202 for nine in their rain-reduced allocation of 47 overs.
Jacobs made 44, but the dismissal of Dhaliwal saw Canada lose five wickets for 37 in the space of 57 delivaries.
No Jaguars bowlers distinguished himself, but Jamaica-born, former WINDIES Under-19 captain Ramaal Lewis, Clinton Pestano and Reifer claimed two wickets apiece.
At Queen’s Park Oval: Though opener Tyrone Theophile was forced to retire hurt after the fourth over, Volcanoes had made a strong start to reach 48 without loss in their pursuit of 221 for victory, when wet conditions, due to rain, forced the remainder of their innings to be abandoned.
Veteran left-handed opener Devon Smith was not out on 27 and former WINDIES batsman Kirk Edwards was not out nine.
Earlier, former WINDIES Under-19 star Alick Athanaze had continued his good form with the ball, grabbing 3-49 from 10 overs, to be the pick of the Volcanoes bowlers, as WINDIES “B” were bowled out for 220 in 48.4 overs.
Fellow slow bowlers Larry Edward and Kavem Hodge supported with two wickets apiece.
WINDIES “B” got starts from several of their top-order batsmen with Keagan Simmons leading the way with 57 from 83 balls that included five fours.
Tevin Imlach supported with 43, Kimani Melius made 33, Kirstan Kallicharran added 29 and WINDIES “B” captain, veteran batsman Marlon Samuels got 24.
WINDIES “B” too, started strongly, reaching 142 for three in the 28th over, but they ran out of steam in the second half of the innings, as the Volcanoes bowlers worked their way through.