Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) extended their undefeated streak to 10 following their eight-wicket win over Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) last night at Providence to close off the group stage of the 2019 HERO Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
TKR were invited to bat and contained to 143-5 from their 20 overs mainly due to three early wickets by left-arm spinner, Chandrapaul Hemraj who ended with 3-15.
In reply, Warriors had a slight scare when the rains came and stopped play for 50 minutes with the score 59-3, at which point if the match been called off, it would have been deemed a tie.
Nevertheless, an unbeaten half century from Nicholas Pooran ensured the hosts reached 144-3, leaving eight balls remaining as they became the first team in the history of the CPL to play undefeated in the group stage
The defending champions, TKR failed to find consistent partnerships with Hemraj striking off consecutive legal deliveries bowling Javon Searles (01) who was experimented as an opener and Denesh Ramdin.
Those two early wickets restricted TKR to 40-2 in the powerplay and sent the sold out crowd of 15000 into an uproar.
The left-arm spinner then accounted for the wicket of Lendl Simmons (30) who looked dangerous early on. His half-hour stay at the crease saw him facing just 24 balls and hitting two sixes and three fours along the way as he passed 6000 runs in the format.
Warriors began their hunt for wickets in the middle order but Colin Munro was keen on defying them.
Munro played his way deep into the innings, scoring an important 40-ball 43 decorated by two fours and two sixes.
Shimron Hetmyer had dropped Munro on 21 but redeemed himself by holding on to a catch from him down on the long on boundary.
After Darren Bravo slugged a one handed shot high into the lights and safely into the hands of Hetmyer, a lot rested on the shoulders of their captain, Kieron Pollard.
Pollard also found it difficult to counteract the Warriors’ bowling, hitting one six and four fours, finishing unbeaten on 36 from 27 balls mostly due to an 18-run final over.
Warriors began their chase cautiously with their two most consistent batsmen, Hemraj and Brandon King sharing in a 35-run opening stand.
That partnership was broken as Hemraj looked to pull a short ball into the Green Stand but only managed to pick out Chris Jordan at deep mid-wicket for 12 and end the powerplay 43-1.
King soon followed for a 23-ball 33 highlighted by seven boundaries given out leg before wicket by a ball that struck top of the knee roll.
Hetmyer’s stay was shortlived, the batsman picking out Simmons at cover. He left as the groundsmen came on with the covers as the rain came sweeping across the Stadium.
After the rain, it was the Pooran show. The 24-year-old Trinidadian laid waste to the bowlers towards the back end of the innings as he raced to 54 not out from 35 balls.
Pooran’s innings was paced to perfection. He hit three sixes, two over mid-wicket with one landing into the Grass Mound off a free hit as well as a flick into square leg off Chris Jordan in what was the shot of the night.
The left-handed batsman similarly pummeled five fours, two consecutively off bowler Ali Khan, the first bringing up his half century with a swat over the bowler’s head and down the ground and the other a powerful cut to end the innings.
At the other end was the skipper, Shoaib Malik a mere spectator with an unbeaten 28 form 29 balls consisting of two boundaries. Together, the pair forged an unbroken 86-run partnership.
TKR will face St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots at 11.00 hours while Warriors will now play Barbados Tridents in the first qualifier at 15.30 hours tomorrow at the same venue.
