TAROUBA, Trinidad, CMC – Off-spinner Gudakesh Motie sent down a brilliant last over as Guyana Amazon Warriors held their nerve to beat Barbados Royals by three runs and maintain their unbeaten status in the Caribbean Premier League.
With Royals requiring only six runs to win in pursuit of 182 at the Brian Lara Stadium here yesterday, Motie (2-38) kept Justin Greaves (16) scoreless off the first ball before conceding a leg bye off the second. He then got Carlos Brathwaite to hole out to deep mid-wicket for 12 off the third ball and then limited Roelof van der Merwe to a single off the fourth delivery, leaving Royals with four runs to win.
(Photo by Ashley Allen – CPL T20/CPL T20 via Getty Images)
Greaves missed a swing at the penultimate delivery before picking out short third man with the final ball, handing Amazon Warriors a dramatic victory.
“I told him that I have all the belief in you and you can do this,” captain Imran Tahir said in reference to Motie.
“I wanted to give him confidence and I am really pleased for him. He can bowl anywhere, even if it is the last over.”
Englishman Laurie Evans had helped set up the run chase with a top score of 44 off 27 deliveries, along with captain Rovman Powell who lashed a 19-ball 39, and Alick Athanaze who struck 27.
The chase was stuttering at 39 for two in the fifth over before Evans put on 60 for the third wicket with Athanaze, striking four fours and three sixes.
Royals lost a cluster of wickets and it was left to Powell to carry the innings, the right-hander blasting three fours and sixes before perishing in the 17th over, run out by Junior Sinclair’s direct throw at the non-striker’s end.
With 31 runs required from 19 balls at that stage, the game appeared in Royals’ favour until Motie’s intervention.
Earlier Saim Ayub (58) and Shai Hope (50) extended their excellent form with half-centuries, to help propel Amazon Warriors to 181 for nine off their 20 overs, after choosing to bat first.
The pair put on 98 for the second wicket after Motie, promoted to opener, fell cheaply for seven, Saim counting a four and half-dozen sixes off 35 deliveries and Hope carving out a four and four sixes off 40 balls.
Hope put on a further 30 for the fourth wicket with Shimron Hetmyer (24) before Keemo Paul arrived to strike a 10-ball 23 at the end.