US Open: Rutherford, bowlers guide 22 Yards into final

 Sherfane Rutherford
Sherfane Rutherford

A match-winning, unbeaten half-century from Indian Premier League (IPL) winner, Sherfane Rutherford, piloted 22 Yards to a comfortable eight-wicket win over Somerset Cavaliers and into the final of the 2020 U.S Open T20 tournament yesterday at the Central Broward Regional Park.

22 Yards hunting 132 for victory, were in a spot of bother at 28 for two in the fifth over after the demise of Guyanese Trevon `Bugsy’ Griffith (16) and Ahad Malek (10).

Griffith looked set for a big one after he eased former test ace Fidel Edwards (0-27) down the ground for a sweetly-timed boundary.

However, he was removed by Andre Russell (1-21), which brought Rutherford to the crease. 

The left-handed Rutherford had a shaky start after being struck on the glove by Russell and played and missed a few times. He soon got going by clipping Syed Najafshah off the pads for a sweetly-timed maximum to get his innings going.

He never looked back from thereon and carved out five sixes and three fours en-route to his unbeaten half century, 69, to see his side home.

Rutherford also shared in a 108-unbroken stand with Andre McCarthy (35), which kept Cavaliers at bay. 

Early on, Cavaliers, after being inserted, were limited to 132 for eight from their allotted overs. Opener, Kennar Lewis (41) and Chandrapaul Hemraj (10), laid a 31-run platform. However, Guyanese spin trio, Ashmead Nedd (2-17), Kevin Sinclair (1-30), and Devendra Bishoo (2-31), who got the prized scalp of Russel (8) proved to be too much for the Somerset side dispute an attacking 41 from Shawn Findlay. 

In today’s final 22 Yards will oppose either  Atlanta Paramveers or US All Starts, who were locked in battle up to press time in the second semi-final.