– Guyana secures top spot thanks to net run rate
Nicholas Pooran’s purple patch with the bat continued as he unleashed a brutal assault on the Guyana Amazon Warriors bowling unit last night, as the Knight Riders triumphed by 74 runs at the Providence National Stadium in the final match of the league stage of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
Pooran, who would go on to make 101 (59 balls), entered the fray in the first over of the innings after Imran Tahir bowled young opener Shaqkere Parris for a duck. The Trinidadians had won the toss earlier and elected to bat, going on to make 211/5 thanks to Pooran’s brilliance and a 152-run 2nd wicket partnership between the left-hander and opener Jason Roy.
Roy and Pooran plundered 75 runs in the powerplay, with the latter doing most of the heavy lifting.
Knight Riders as he snared 3-17 (CPL Photo).
He was particularly harsh on anything too full or too short, smashing 8 sixes and 9 fours in his innings. On the other hand, Roy was content to stay at the non-strikers end and quietly got to a 26-ball 34, hitting a pair of fours and a pair of sixes during his stay at the crease.
While young fast-bowler Shamar Joseph had to contend with the brutality of Pooran early on, he returned in the 15th over and got Roy to nick one behind to wicketkeeper Shai Hope to leave TKR at 153/2.
Roy’s dismissal opened the gates for the Warriors, and Andre Russell was the next to go back to the pavilion via the same route, albeit of the bowling of Dwaine Pretorius.
From 162/3 in the 16th over, TKR continued to lose steady wickets as Joseph took two wickets from consecutive balls in the 17th over.
First, he cramped Pooran for space and had him feathering behind to Hope down the legside. He then produced a ripper of an in-swinger, bowling Tim David comprehensively to make it 171/5.
However, TKR skipper Kieron Pollard and Keacy Carthy would combine to help their side to 211/5 from their allotted overs.
Pollard ended unbeaten with 19 (13 balls), while Carthy was not out on 27 (13 balls).
Joseph finished with 3-50 (4 overs), while Tahir and Pretorius had a wicket apiece.
In search of 212 for victory, the Warriors lost an early wicket in the form of Kevlon Anderson, who was dismissed for just 1 in the second over, LBW to youngster Nathan Edwards.
Hope and Rahmanullah Gurbaz did a repair job, putting on 63 for the second wicket. While Gurbaz made 36 (22 balls), he was far from his best, and by the time he was dismissed, caught off the bowling of his countryman Waqar Salamkheil, things began to go downhill for the Warriors. His dismissal transpired after Hope, who looked dangerous, was sent back to player hut on 28. Shimron Hetmyer came in, struck a four to briefly threaten before being caught off the bowling of Salamkheil by Pollard for nine.
The rest of the Warriors batting order folded cheaply, and it was only thanks to Tahir and Motie with the bat that Guyana squeaked past the 104 run mark that was required for them to finish in the top spot via a superior net run rate over the St. Lucia Kings.
Motie was left unbeaten on 26 (28 balls), while Tahir made an even 20 from 20 deliveries.
The Warriors were bowled out for 137 in 18.5 overs, with Terrance Hinds leading the line, claiming figures of 3/17 (4 overs). Salamkheil (3/26, 4 overs) and Edward (3/19) also had three wickets apiece, while Akeal Hosein took one.
The Warriors will now face the St. Lucia Kings on Wednesday in Qualifier 1 at the same venue, while TKR will have to go up against the Barbados Royals in the first eliminator on Tuesday.
Even if the Warriors lose on Wednesday, they will have a second chance of going into the final via qualifier two against the winner of the first eliminator.
