A catastrophic top-order display saw the Barbados Tridents capitulate to 92 all out in the face of an impressive bowling and fielding performance from the Guyana Amazon Warriors, who eased home with 20 balls to spare to pick up their fourth win of the season and go clear in third place on the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2020 table last evening.
The Tridents shuffled their batting order, Justin Greaves coming into the XI to open, but he lasted only one ball as he fell LBW trying to sweep Amazon Warriors captain Chris Green. Johnson Charles fell to a magnificent catch by Shimron Hetmyer who sprinted 25 yards and dived full length, sending the bowler Kevin Sinclair into another athletic celebration.
Jason Holder had only himself to blame for being run out by T20 debutant Kissoondath Magram, meaning the openers and captain had all fallen for 0. Shai Hope was shifted down to five but fell for another low score, chipping a catch back to Sinclair.
The Tridents, who had won the toss and chosen to bat, were 9/4 in the fourth over, and added just five more runs before the end of the Powerplay – the second lowest-scoring in Hero CPL history. Green bowled out with another maiden, Sinclair’s last over went for just three, and the Tridents were 17/4 after eight overs.
More poor calling saw the fifth wicket fall, as Jonathan Carter set off, was sent back by Kyle Mayers and was caught short of his ground by yards. Mayers followed Carter back to the dugout two balls later top-edging a pull, wicketkeeper Nicholas Pooran taking a brilliant catch running towards the boundary, and at halfway the Tridents were a staggering 22/6.
Tahir’s second over was survived, but in the next over Naveen and the Amazon Warriors picked up two more. First Ashley Nurse pulled straight to Romario Shepherd at deep square leg, then Raymon Reifer looped the ball up to Pooran off his glove while playing forward, leaving the Tridents 27/8 after 12.
Mitchell Santner finally hit the Tridents’ first boundaries, swinging Tahir for a Hero Maximum then straight driving for four. Santner then lofted Magram for a Hero Maximum to take the Tridents past the lowest score in Hero CPL history – 53 all out back in 2013 by the Trinidad franchise. Rashid Khan slapped two sixes off Keemo Paul, but fell trying to slice Naveen over the off-side, Sinclair taking a good catch at deep cover.
Naveen finished with venue-record T20 figures, and the Tridents were 79/9 off 18. Hayden Walsh Jr slapped a four off Paul, and while Santner was run out off the last ball, they and Rashid had at least ensured the Tridents had batted the whole innings and got a recognisable T20 total – the same total they failed to chase against the St Lucia Zouks at Queen’s Park Oval on Sunday.
Holder had two slips in place for his first over, a maiden to Brandon King. Santner got some drift, almost swing, with his arm-ball, but dropped short enough for King to crash a cut for four. Holder finally conceded his first run off his 11th ball via a Sinclair edge and Santner’s second went for just one.
Holder attacked with Rashid in the Powerplay, and while the Afghan fired five wides, he beat Sinclair all ends up and knocked back his off-stump. Hetmyer was lucky to inside-edge for four past the stumps first ball, and to see a pull off Holder fall just short of Santner at mid-on, but King lofted the last ball of Holder’s over over long leg for a Hero Maximum to take the Amazon Warriors to 31/1 off the Powerplay.
Hetmyer fell to Walsh to continue his run of low scores, beaten through the gate, and with Pooran in early off the back of his brilliant century against the Patriots, Holder attacked with his wrist-spinners in tandem. King was lucky to survive a wild swipe off Walsh, but the wrist-spin attack was just about seen off and King cashed in by cutting Nurse for four. At halfway, the Amazon Warriors were 52/2.
First ball after the break, King hammered a flat Hero Maximum off Holder and the over went for 10. Nurse was nudged around, but King had started to find his feet and whipped Rashid hard for four to take the Amazon Warriors to 72/2 off 13. King took his score to 40 and his strike rate over 100 with an inventive flick off the stumps over short fine leg for four, and Santner was milked for six to take the required runs under double figures.
Walsh dropped a tough diving catch to deny Rashid a second wicket, but King was able to bring up his first 50 of the season with the score-levelling stroke. Pooran nudged the run that confirmed a win that hadn’t looked in doubt for the majority of the 36.4 overs bowled tonight, and ensured that Hero CPL 2020 lightning would not strike twice.
Upcoming Fixture: Today – Match 23: Trinbago Knight Riders v St Kitts & Nevis Patriots (10am), Brian Lara Cricket Academy.