The Guyana Amazon Warriors’ horror run in this year’s edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) continued yesterday, as they crumbled to yet another defeat, this time falling by seven wickets to top of the table Trinbago Knightriders at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
Knightriders won the toss and inserted the hosts under the mid-morning glare as the Warriors, in the hunt for early boundaries and a win in front of home fans, found early fireworks off the bat of Chadwick Walton.
He calmed any nerves by easing speedster Ronsford Beaton for consecutive boundaries to take 11 runs off the first over to hand the hosts an ideal start. However, he fell to left arm spinner Khary Pierre in the second over to give Knightriders their first blow with the score on 12.
Warriors then sunk deeper into sorrow when Sunil Narine comprehensively bowled captain Martin Guptill (4), to bring Jason Mohammed and first drop batsman Assad Fudadin together.
The duo combined to take the score to 39-2 after the first power play, with Fudadin opening his arms with a huge six that landed in the stands off the bowling of Pierre, while both batters also took Dwayne Bravo for boundaries.
Fudadin, however, soon perished in the seventh over for 13, falling to left arm spinner Nikita Miller, with the score as it was at the end of the power play.
Fan favourite Gajanand Singh was the new man at the crease and along with Mohammed, who struck Miller for a six to take Warriors past 50 in the ninth over, extended their stay together and took the score to 61 for 3 at the halfway point, with Mohammed on 22, and Singh on 8.
With quick runs needed, the pair started to up the ante by taking 11 runs off the 11th over, including a delicate touch by Singh down to the third man boundary for four.
The two were holding their own, mixing smart running between the wickets and the odd boundary to march the score along to 89 for 3, with five overs to go.
The score moved to 100 for 3 at the end of the 16th over, with both men set on 42 and 27, respectively, and more importantly, a platform to launch from, and wickets in hand.
Singh (27), though, lost his wicket to fellow Guyanese Beaton, attempting a hook shot, as the Knightrider halted the Warriors’ charge with the score on 102.
Mohammed however, pushed on and brought up an even 50 in the 18th over. His lower order effort, on the other hand, was less than measured, owing to the other batsmens’ inability to add any impetus to the innings.
Mohammed ended the innings on a high, cracking Bravo over cover for four, followed by a swat over midwicket for six, before Bravo had his man, bowled for 66, an innings inclusive of six fours and two sixes, as the Warriors finished on 130 for 5.
Narine was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 1 – 11 from four overs, while receiving support from Beaton, Pierre, Miller and Bravo, all of whom had a wicket apiece.
Knightriders, in reply, reached 40 for two, in six overs, after losing Narine (1) and Colin Munro (11), as Sohil Tanvir led a fired up Warriors defence. The dangerous Brendon McCullum, however, was still there on 21, while Darren Bravo, just arrived, was on seven.
McCullum, dropped by wicketkeeper Walton off the second ball of the following over, Rashid Khan’s first, also survived two close calls for LBW off the third and fourth deliveries.
The pair nevertheless unleashed several blows, including two towering sixes to take 14 runs off Steven Jacobs’ first over to push the score to 75 for three, before Bravo was bowled by Rayad Emrit for 27, just before the halfway point.
McCullum continued to hurt the hosts, savagely pulling Jacobs over midwicket for six, to carry the score to 87 for 3 at the end of the 12th over. He continued to coast along, taking 20 off the 15th over, in which he tore into Roshan Primus by hammering him for two sixes, one of which went over the VIP booth, to bring up his 50, as the Knightriders cruised to 118 – 3.
Denesh Ramdin, who joined the party, completed the game with a six, to remain unbeaten on 20, supporting McCullum who smashed 65 not out from 45 balls, inclusive of four maximums and four fours.
The Trinbago Knightriders finished on 131 for 3, with 4.1 overs to spare.
Tanvir, who was unlucky early on, finished with 1 for 20, while Veersammy Permaul and Emrit also took one wicket apiece.
