* Hero Caribbean Premier League 2016
By Akeem Greene
(Guyana Times) – The Guyana Amazon Warriors pulled two stunning victories from their first two matches in the Hero Caribbean Premier League (2016) and Dwayne Smith and Jason Mohammed were in the middle of the action in both matches.
A steely 29-ball 42 by Mohammed led the Amazon Warriors to a thrilling four wicket win over St Kitts and Nevis Patriots on Thursday at Warner Park while in the same match, Smith produced a man-of-the-match performance with a blazing 36-ball 62; hitting three fours and fives sixes in pursuit of 165.
Mohammed’s innings was less of the flashy one as Smith since he recovered from a slow start, hitting six fours to take his team to victory in the cliff-hanger with one ball to spare.
In the last over, the right-handed batsman slapped left-arm seamer Krishmar Santokie for four to take the equation to two from two balls; on the penultimate ball of the innings Mohammed pulled to deep-wicket but Faf du Plessis dropped a diving catch which allowed the Warriors to secure the required runs.
In an exclusive interview with Guyana Times Sport on Sunday, Mohammed said: “It was a little bit surprising, he [Plessis] is most definitely one of the best fielders in the world and it’s not a lot of catches he drops; it was heart-ache seeing that ball go down to him but I guess it was just my day, my luck, the Amazon luck.”
In explaining his plan during the match: “I had my plans but I had no control over what was going on at the other end; obviously the other guys were trying to get the runs down but I know so long as I am there to the end, all the guys coming in are capable of scoring; it was getting to 10 an over but I was very positive with myself and the guys that we will be able to get over the line.”
The middle-order batsman also hit six to seal the six-wicket win against the defending Champions Trinbago Knight Riders on Saturday. It was only last year the batsman was a part of the same team that defeated the Amazon Warriors in the play-offs but the cricketer says it’s a nice feeling to achieve a win over his homeland.
“It was nice to be able to take Guyana over the line, obviously now I’m at a different set up, that is where the cricket is, I enjoy doing well against my former team and hopefully I can continue doing this kind of stuff in the tournament and helping Guyana Amazon Warriors win games”, the Trinidadian revealed.
Quizzed on what role he has been designated within in the team, the 29-year-old responded: “My role in the team is to try and bat as deep as possible, if you look around the team, you have plenty big hitters but my role is different from them; I know as long I bat as possible to the end then try to score quickly.”
Smith’s quick start
With two CPL hundreds under his belt, the dashing opener is a great attribute to the team and more so, partnering alongside Captain Martin Guptill should get the Warriors off to some quick starts.
In recognition of his thumping half-century against the Patriots, the Barbadian said, “My aim is to get the team off to a good start, if I can spend as much time as possible at the crease I’m sure that we will be in good positions so I did that in the first game, a little unfortunate in the second game but we still got over the line, so it’s good to see we come back home with two wins.”
Before the tournament bowled-off, Smith put a high standard on his performances and giving the Warriors a good chance at the title.
Quizzed on how he believes in the two matches to date, he said he still feels there is more for him to do, stating: “I’m never pleased, I always think that I can do more but once we are winning I am satisfied, that is my aim, to get Guyana to win.”
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