Rutherford shines as Harpy Eagles beat Hurricanes

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

Sherfane Rutherford plundered a brilliant maiden List A hundred as Guyana Harpy Eagles completed a delicate run chase to beat Leeward Islands Hurricanes by four wickets in the Super50 Cup here yesterday.

The left-hander, more known for his exploits in the shortest format, top-scored with an unbeaten 105 from just 71 balls, a knock which helped Harpy Eagles overhaul 245 with 15 balls to spare at Queen’s Park Oval, and pick up their second win in three outings.

Rutherford entered with the game slipping away from Harpy Eagles at 108 for five in the 28th over, and proceeded to change the entire complexion of the contest.

He clobbered seven fours and eight sixes, dominating a 67-run sixth-wicket stand with Kevlon Anderson (32) and a 73-run, unbroken seventh-wicket partnership with all-rounder Romario Shepherd (18 not out).

Along the way, Rutherford raced to his fifty off 34 balls in the 37th over, cutting pacer Justin Greaves to the backward point boundary to bring up the landmark.

And he required another 35 balls to reach triple figures, clipping the same bowler to the long leg boundary at the start of the 48th over to reach the milestone, and also level the scores in the game.

He celebrated two balls later by hitting the winning runs, lifting a full toss to the extra cover boundary.

Earlier, Hurricanes rallied to 244 for six off their 50 overs with both Karima Gore and Jahmar Hamilton top-scoring with 54.

Hayden Walsh extended his good recent form with 49 while Keacy Carty chipped in with 29.

Left-hander Kieran Powell perished to the fourth delivery of the morning when he pulled pacer Shepherd (2-45) and was taken low down at square leg for four with as many runs on the board.

Carty and Kofi James (13) put on 45 for the second wicket before left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul (2-49) plucked out both in quick succession, to leave the innings stumbling on 60 for three at the start of the 17th.

Gore and Hamilton then stitched the innings back together. The 25-year-old Gore faced 72 balls and struck three fours and one six, putting on 81 for the fourth wicket with Walsh who belted seven fours in a 56-ball knock.

Gore added a further 36 for the fifth wicket with Hamilton who then controlled the back end, counting three fours and a six in a 52-ball innings as he posted 44 in an unbroken seventh-wicket partnership with Greaves (15 not out).

In reply, Test left-hander Tagenarine Chanderpaul fell cheaply for one with the score on 21 in the fifth over but Imlach and Kemol Savory (28) added a breezy 49 for the second wicket to stabilise the innings.

Imlach struck four fours and a six in a 28-ball knock while Savory faced 46 deliveries and counted four boundaries, before both fell in a cluster of wickets which saw three tumble for seven runs in the space of 29 balls.

Tottering on 77 for four in the 19th, Anderson put on 31 for the fifth with Kevin Sinclair (12) before Rutherford unveiled his magic.