Defending champions Guyana Amazon Warriors made it two wins in two games with a comfortable 40 run win over St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in match seven of the 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) at Basseterre.
Electing to bat first in rainy conditions could have been seen as a risk but Imran Tahir’s Warriors had no such qualms as they set about posting a sizeable score of 266/7 off their twenty overs. A rope had been dragged around the wet outfield before play began but the showery conditions failed to dampen the Warrior’s run rate.
In fact, Shimron Hetmyer took the ground conditions out of the equation all together by blitzing eleven sixes to all parts of the stadium to rack up 91 runs off just 39 balls. An incredible display of hitting in an innings that didn’t include a single four. It proved to be a decisive knock from Hetmyer who was later awarded Player of the Match.
The Warriors’ total was the second highest in CPL history, just one run behind the score made by the Trinbago Knight Riders against the Jamaica Tallawahs in 2019. The match also had a record for sixes in a CPL match, with 42 Republic Bank Maximums flying out of Warner Park.
In response, Patriots captain Andre Fletcher led by example at the top of the order by compiling 81 off 33 balls but when he was well caught by Dwaine Pretorious off the skiddy spin of Gudakesh Motie in the thirteenth over the Patriots chase lost its impetus and wickets fell steadily throughout.
A late delay for another rain shower couldn’t save Fletcher’s side, after a short break Pretorious served up the coup de grace by bouncing out Mikyle Louis to seal the win with twelve balls to spare. and condemn the Patriots to their third straight defeat.
Spin proved to be a decisive factor in the high scoring match, with Warriors captain Tahir bowling a pivotal double wicket maiden in the tenth over, outfoxing both Josh Clarkson and Odean Smith in a matter of balls. He ended with three wickets as did Motie with his cunning slow left arm.
The Warriors look a strong outfit with bat and ball as they set about trying to go back-to-back in this year’s CPL while the Patriots will be looking to bounce back against the Barbados Royals on Friday.
