Guyana Jaguars’ all-rounder Romario Shepherd made his mark on the CG Insurance Regional Super50 with a maiden half century and is hopeful this is the first of many.
The 26-year-old right hander came in at number eight and hammered two sixes and half a dozen fours on his way to 58 not out from 52 balls.
After the match, the New Amsterdam native told Stabroek Sport, “Well is my first in list A so it meant a lot to me hopefully the first of many,” he said of the knock which eventually earned him the Man-of-the-Match award.
Shepherd came in with his team at 143 for six at the half way stage but backed his ability to get the job done.
“I said to myself if I can bat to the end with Hetty [Shimron Hetmyer], we can still get 300 the way he was going but when he got out I had to take things into my own hands and try to bat all the overs,” he recalled.
Shepherd said that when Hetmyer got out, he was “disappointed he didn’t get a 100 or even a double the way he was going…I think his innings was a really good one the way he kept going [because] even though they were getting wickets our scoring rate was always up.”
Hetmyer raced to 80 from 52 balls, laced with four sixes and eight fours but was caught by Ashley Nurse off of Jason Holder.
Importantly, Shepherd added 92 with the final four wickets for the Jaguars and in the process getting his side to a respectable total.
Shepherd added 35 for the 10th wicket partnership alongside Gudakesh Motie and 23 for the last wicket with Nial Smith.
“Well I know Motie is capable with the bat so I had faith in him that he would manage to back himself and get some runs but I just think the single with Smith I exposed him a bit too early especially knowing that it was Holder’s last over too,” he explained. With the 56-run (DLS method) over Barbados, the West Indies all-rounder feels the team is off to a good start.
“With the tournament so short it is key to start well and against a team like Barbados it is a good start…”
