By: Brandon Corlette
The table leaders Guyana Amazon Warriors continued their unbeaten run in the 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League with a dominant six-wicket win against the mighty Trinbago Knight Riders.
Played at a packed Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad, TKR posted 172-8 in their 20 overs, while Warriors ended on 175-4 in 19.1overs.
In the Warriors chase, they lost Chandrapaul Hemraj for a run-a-ball 10 at 18-1 in 2.5 overs. Shai Hope survived a leg-before call off the probing Sunil Narine. Warriors cruised to 39-1 in the powerplay, as Saim Ayub and Shai Hope build a partnership.
Ayub was the aggressor in the first half, as he took a liking to Terrance Hinds. Warriors were in firm control at the half-way stage, scoring 81-1, with Ayub scoring more than 50 percent of the Warriors runs, at that stage.
The Pakistani, Ayub reached his maiden fifty in CPL from 39 balls, but four balls later, he offered a return catch to Andre Russell and was dismissed for 62 from 43 balls. The left-handed Ayub struck four sixes and four fours. Ayub and Hope added 93 runs from 67 balls for the second wicket.
Hope then reached his fifty from 39 balls, but he found long-off and was dismissed for 51 from 40 balls. The right-handed Hope struck three sixes and three fours. Shimron Hetmyer joined Azam Khan with Warriors on 144-3 in 16. 4 overs, with Warriors requiring 29 from 20 balls at that stage.
Hetmyer scored 13 from seven balls while Azam Khan’s unbeaten 29 helped Warriors secured their fourth win in as many matches this season.
Earlier, the Guyana Amazon Warriors won the toss and opted to bowl first. Guyana made two changes with Chandrapaul Hemraj and Odean Smith returning while Junior Sinclair and Hazratullah Zazai were left out.
Warriors had a brilliant start with TKR reduced to 47-2 in the power play. Mark Deyal was the first man dismissed for one when he was caught at the wicket off the impressive Romario Shepherd. It quickly became 34-2 after 4.4 overs when the danger man Nicholas Pooran edged one behind. He was brilliantly caught by Azam Khan at the wicket for 18 off Keemo Paul.
Warriors were roaring, and despite some early blunders in the field, Imran Tahir removed Martin Guptill (15). TKR were reduced to 59-3, and Akeal Hosein came ahead of Kieron Pollard. Hosein and Lorcan Tucker joined forces, and took TKR to 67-3 in 10 overs.
TKR boundary scoring had reduced, but the 13th over bowled by Dwaine Pretorius broke the 29-ball boundary drought with 19 runs coming off that over. Hosein found the boundary, and Tucker was going well until he was run out by a brilliant throw from Hemraj. Tucker made 38 from 25 balls, an innings laced with five fours.
At 98-4 after 13.2 overs, Andre Russell partnered Hosein and the duo took TKR past 100 in the in the 14th over. Andre Russell slammed two sixes in his 14 but he was caught behind upon review at 122-5 in 15.2 overs.
Pollard came at the crease to join Hosein, and the TKR skipper showed power from the inception, slamming Shepherd for a 108-meter six on the roof of Queen’s Park Oval. Gudakesh Motie produced a top bit of fielding, hitting the stumps from deep in the field to run out Pollard for 25. TKR ended on 172-8 in 20 overs with Hosein scoring an unbeaten 44 from 35 balls. His innings had three sixes and two fours. Odean Smith was the pick of the bowlers with 3-31 from four overs.
The CPL continues tomorrow with TKR taking on Barbados Royals at 19:00h at Queen’s Park Oval. Warriors will play Royals on Sunday, September 10 from 10:00h.
SCORECARD
Trinbago Knight Riders (20 ovs maximum)
Martin Guptill c Paul b Imran Tahir 15
Mark Deyal c †Azam Khan b Shepherd 1
Nicholas Pooran c †Azam Khan b Paul 18
Lorcan Tucker † run out (Hemraj) 38
Akeal Hosein not out 44
Andre Russell c †Azam Khan b Smith 14
Kieron Pollard (c) run out (Motie) 25
Terrance Hinds c †Azam Khan b Smith 4
Sunil Narine c Hemraj b Smith 4
Extras (b 1, lb 2, nb 1, w 5) 9
TOTAL
20 Ov
(RR: 8.60)
172/8
Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Mark Deyal, 1.1 ov), 2-34 (Nicholas Pooran, 4.4 ov), 3-59 (Martin Guptill, 8.2 ov), 4-98 (Lorcan Tucker, 13.2 ov), 5-122 (Andre Russell, 15.2 ov), 6-156 (Kieron Pollard, 18.5 ov), 7-168 (Terrance Hinds, 19.4 ov), 8-172 (Sunil Narine, 19.6 ov)
BOWLING O M R W
Dwaine Pretorius 4 0 48 0
Romario Shepherd 4 0 39 1
Keemo Paul 2 0 17 1
Gudakesh Motie 2 0 15 0
Imran Tahir 4 0 19 1
Odean Smith 4 0 31 3
Guyana Amazon Warriors (T: 173 runs from 20 ovs)
Saim Ayub c & b Russell 62
Chandrapaul Hemraj c Pooran b Russell 10
Shai Hope c sub (CAK Walton) b Ali Khan 51
Azam Khan †not out 29
Shimron Hetmyer c Pooran b Ali Khan 13
Romario Shepherd not out 0
Extras (lb 2, w 8) 10
TOTAL
19.1 Ov
(RR: 9.13)
175/4
Fall of wickets: 1-18 (Chandrapaul Hemraj, 2.5 ov), 2-111 (Saim Ayub, 13.6 ov), 3-144 (Shai Hope, 16.4 ov), 4-169 (Shimron Hetmyer, 18.5 ov)
BOWLING O M R W
Mark Deyal 1 0 7 0
Ali Khan4 0 30 2
Andre Russell 3.1 0 29 2
Sunil Narine 4 0 29 0
Akeal Hosein 2 0 25 0
Terrance Hinds 1 0 14 0
Waqar Salamkheil 4 0 39 0
