TAROUBA, Trinidad, CMC – Kemol Savory scooped the final delivery of the match for a boundary to complete a memorable debut as last year’s losing finalists, Guyana Jaguars, snatched a dramatic one-wicket win to deny West Indies Emerging Players in their Super50 Cup opener on Thursday night.
Set what should have been a straightforward 186 for victory under lights in Group B at the Brian Lara Stadium, Jaguars made a mess of the run chase but were rescued by an unbeaten 71 from left-hander Savory.
All-rounder Chris Barnwell struck 36 and Jonathan Foo, 28, but even then Jaguars were still left short of their target heading into the final over.
And with the scored tied on 185, Savory held his nerve to scoop left-arm spinner Camarie Boyce over the keeper’s head, and pull off a vital opening win for Jaguars.
New-ball pacer Keon Harding made it difficult for Jaguars with an excellent 10-over spell, claiming four for 35 while left-arm seamer and fellow Barbadian Dominic Drakes picked up two for 32.
Sent in earlier, the Emerging Players tallied 185 for eight off their 50 overs with all-rounder Justin Greaves punching 55, Roland Cato getting 37 and Kevin Sinclair chipping in with an unbeaten 34.
Despite Gidron Pope’s 25, the young side slumped to 60 for four in the 21st over before Greaves and Cato staged a 71-run, fifth wicket stand to defy Jaguars.
Greaves struck a four and a six in an 89-ball knock while Cato faced 64 deliveries and counted two fours and a six.
However, once Cato departed at the end of the 40th over, Emerging Players lost their way and managed just 54 runs from the last 10 while losing four wickets.
Left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul claimed three for 34 while leg-spinner Ramaal Lewis (2-17) and pacer Ronsford Beaton (2-36) supported with two apiece.
Chasing a modest total, Jaguars suffered a setback when Tagenarine Chanderpaul was trapped lbw by Harding in the second over for three with only five on the board.
And even though Savory and Chandrapaul Hemraj (18) put on 35 for the second wicket, Jaguars lost two wickets with no runs added to find themselves in a spot of bother at 40 for three at the end of the 16th over. Savory, who faced 146 balls and struck six fours and a six, put on a crucial 56 for the fourth wicket with Barnwell, as Guyana rallied.
However, Barnwell skied speedster Jermaine Levy and was caught at deep mid-wicket in the 27th over, after lashing four fours and a six in a 31-ball cameo and Raymon Reifer drove a catch back to off-spinner Kevin Sinclair for five in the 35th over, leaving Jaguars to rebuild again.
But Foo arrived to help Savory post 43 for the sixth wicket as Jaguars kept themselves in the contest.