- in Hero CPL eliminator
Despite a disappointed start to their 2017 Hero Caribbean Premier League Guyana Amazon Warriors have managed to regroup to reach their fifth successive playoffs.
After winning just one of their first five matches, Warriors found form in the latter stages of the preliminaries and were able to secure the final playoff spot complements of four resounding victories in their next five matches, including a thumping nine wicket win over Jamaica Tallawahs in their most recent outing.
Apart from their home loss to Trinbago Knight Riders, the Warriors have not been dominated but were clinched on occasions by St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Jamaica Tallawahs, and even Trinbago Knight Riders.
However, they rebounded well from a horrific start and their batting continues to progress after functioning poorly in their first five encounters.
Chadwick Walton, who helped to demolish Tallawahs with a scintillating unbeaten knock of 84 from 40 deliveries and is the tournament’s leading run scorer this season, is expected to continue on similar path as Warriors aim to reach their fourth final.
While strong support in the batting department is predicted from the Warriors’ latest addition Luke Ronchi, Jason Mohammed and Gajanand Singh.
They must provide the foundation for the other batsmen to build on whether it is batting first or chasing.
The Warriors’ bowling has been up there with the most consistent of the season as Steven Jacobs and Rashid Khan produced economical spells while Sohai Tanvir, the tournament’s leading wicket taker and Rayad Emrit were able to create constant breakthroughs.
However, the Tallawahs cannot be written off and their mixture of talented youth and establish experience could upstage any unit in the shortest format of the game.
Skipper Kumar Sangakkara is known for his exploits in matches that matters most and the Warriors are very much aware of the dangers should he spends some time at the crease. So it is with former Warrior Lendl Simmon as well as Rovman Powell, Jonathan Foo or the emerging Andre McCarthy, who has played a major role in getting the Tallawahs to this stage.
Like the Warriors, Tallawahs have two bowlers in the top five, Kesrick Williams and Krishmar Santokie. They also have Mohammad Sami and a couple express quickies, Oshane Thomas and Odean Smith who they could turn too.
Nevertheless it is expected to be a keen contest for survival for both sides, but the team that executes better with the bat is projected to win at the Brian Lara Stadium tonight in Trinidad and Tobago.
Guyana Amazon Warriors: Rayad Emrit (captain) , Luke Ronchi, Sohail Tanveer , Chadwick Walton, Assad Fudadin, Steven Jacobs, Jason Mohammed, Veerasammy Permaul, Babar Azam, Steven Katwaroo, Steven Taylor, Keon Joseph, , Rashid Khan, Keemo Paul, Ali Khan, Roshon Primus, Gajanand Singh
Jamaica Tallawahs: Kumar Sangakkara (c & wk), Mohammad Sami, Lendl Simmons, Glen Phillips, Jonathan Foo, Krishmar Santokie, Garey Mathurin, Kennar Lewis, Imad Wasim, Glenn Phillips, Odean Smith, Trevon Griffith , Andre McCarthy, Kesrick Williams, Jon-Russ Jaggesar, Rovman Powell.
The match is scheduled to get underway at 20:00h on Wednesday.
