GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Debutant teenager Nicolas Pooran stunned the Guyanese Amazon Warriors but Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel fell short by 19 runs in their Caribbean Premier League encounter at the Providence Stadium Wednesday
The 17 year old wicket-keeper batsman blasted six sixes and one four on his way to a 24 ball 54 that earned him the fastest innings award. Pooran’s effort provided some optimism for the Red Steel who were chasing 156 for victory but only managed 136 for nine off their 20 overs.
Darren Bravo 23 and Justin Guillen 22 were the only other batsmen that coped with the warrior spinners Veerasammy Permaul, Sunil Narine and man of the match Krishma Santokie. The crafty Jamaican got the crucial wicket of Darren Bravo, caught by wicket-keeper Denish Ramdin and bowled Kevin O’Brien with a disguised slower delivery for eight in the crucial dying stages of the match. He also spectacularly run out Kevin Kooper before the batsman had faced a ball.
Veerasammy Permaul finished with three for 32, Santokie two for 20 and Sunil Narine two for 29.
When they were sent in by the Red Steelers Lendl Simmons and Martin Guptill gave the Amazon warriors a start suggesting they might have got over 170 from their 20 overs. Simmons, severe on anything loose struck two fours and one six in a knock of 42 off 50 balls. He put on 74 for the first wicket with Guptill whose contribution was 32 before he was trapped leg before by Samuel Badree.
The Guyana based franchise started to lose wickets in quick succession as Mohammad Hafeez was caught by Ross Taylor off Kevin O’ Brien for 14, and when Simmons followed, caught by Davy Jacobs off Dwayne Bravo, Warriors still looked comfortable at 103 for three.
Unfortunately they soon saw the demise of Christopher Barnwell caught without scoring, Benn holding the catch off Dwayne Bravo, 103-4 and three runs later Narsing Deonarine was run out for just a single.
It was left to James Franklin and the warriors captain Ramnaresh Sarwan to carve a crucial late surge. The pair added an unbeaten 49 to the total that lifted the spirit of the entire team. Dwayne Bravo had two wickets but conceded 41 runs including 21 in his last over.
