Heading towards the back end of the Caribbean Premier League, the Guyana Amazon Warriors will face its toughest challenge yet with three matches in three days. Head Coach Johan Botha, however, is positive his team can beat Barbados Tridents who they play twice and St, Lucia Zouks to qualify for the semi-finals.
Botha shared his views during a media briefing before the final stages. With Warriors sitting on six points from seven games, Botha noted that their win against St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots was welcomed in order to stay in contention.
“[We are] very happy after yesterday (Sunday). We knew that we had to get some points. The Patriots were sort of in a similar position to us so we knew we had to put up a good performance against them,” he stated.
Botha added, “We are still very confident [of reaching the final four]. Yesterday (Sunday) was very crucial [and] we needed that. We needed to stay in contention with the top four.”
The head coach explained that it is necessary for them to win at least two of their remaining three matches. Botha acknowledged that the Tridents, who they play twice, was a quality side and was in a similar position last year when they won the tournament. Therefore, he said, the Amazon Warriors will not be taking them lightly.
Additionally, Botha reflected on a close encounter with Zouks earlier in the tournament which they lost.
“I think the next two games against them [Tridents] is going to be crucial and then Zouks in the middle. We lost a close one to them probably 10 days ago…so we know we are capable of beating those two teams so hopefully the guys get a good rest today [Monday] and can go three on the bounce.”
Botha admitted that the Warriors have not played at their best so far this season but said that he was confident that they can pick up momentum heading into the final stages.
“We are hoping to get a bit of momentum late tournament. We haven’t played at our best but yesterday (Sunday) was a good start hopefully and with three games in three days first of all hopefully we can get some momentum tomorrow and carry it for the next two days that would be nice,” he said.
When asked about the importance of the opening partnership, Botha said that he believed that it is integral to have a good foundation at the start but confessed that they have not been the recipient of solid opening stands and it has affected the line-up’s approach towards setting and chasing totals.
Botha noted that the last opening stand of 20 was good enough in the context of the game, pointing out that in most matches they slipped to 20 for three or thereof.
Apart from the change in batting position, Warriors only change to the batting department came in the opening spot when Chandrapaul Hemraj was replaced by Anthony Bramble who made seven from 19 in his lone match and Kevin Sinclair, who made five from 13 on Sunday.
Hemraj has scored 60 runs in his five innings with a best of 21 and a strike rate of 89.55 while Brandon King, who opened in all seven matches, has accumulated 60 runs as well with a best of 29 and a strike rate of 10.
Despite averaging just eight, Botha confirmed the management’s support of King.
“Confidence is a huge thing. Last year he started the tournament really well and just carried it all the way through so he is the type of guy if he can get a score in the next two, he could make two or three scores in a row so we are still backing him 100 percent,” Botha stated.
Like the openers, Shimron Hetmyer has struggled in the last five innings after starting the competition with back-to-back half centuries. In the last five innings he has amassed 36 runs but so far he is one of three batsmen with over 100 runs in the side and strikes at 125.92.
Botha reckoned that it is tough batting at the top and observed that all batsmen at the top of the order struggled over the last week but believed it is good for his top three to return to the Brian Lara Criket Academy where the wickets are a bit bouncier with some pace.
The head coach also vested his trust in Hetmyer, indicating that he is still one of the best players in the side.
Meanwhile, Nicholas Pooran, who was promoted up the order to number four Sunday, scored a blistering maiden T20 ton. With a strike rate of 152.59 and the temperament to match, he has become the lynchpin of the batting order.
Botha explained that Pooran is driven by a desire to not only become one of the best players in the CPL, but the world and has taken on those responsibilities with pride.
Also, Botha credited the two young guns in the side, Sinclair and Ashmead Nedd for their efforts and contended that they have really pushed to be part of the best XI at the moment by taking their opportunities well.
“Ashmead has come in and done really well, I think sort of our two young players are spinners and obviously the wicket has helped us with that. Ashmead has bowled really well straight up and the guys helped him settle really well…Kevin, what a character, he has a lot of energy, he was great yesterday, so happy for him to get a good start to his CPL career…you know he has been a guy on the bench who has had energy all the way through…hopefully he can put in a couple more good performance for us, Ashmead too,” Botha said.
Warriors will face Tridents today at 17.30 hours before battling Zouks at the same time tomorrow. They close off their group stage against Tridents on Thursday at the same time. All three matches are at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.
