The Guyana Amazon Warriors’ winning streak of six matches in the 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) ended when the St Lucia Kings breached the Providence fortress with a seven-wicket win.
Sri Lankan Bhanuka Rajapaksa led the Kings’ chase with a blistering 86 from 49 balls, to help the Kings chase 168 with ease. Warriors had earlier posted 167-5 in 20 overs, while Kings reached 170-3 in 17.3 overs.
Despite losing a wicket, St Lucia Kings had a blistering start, adding 47-1 in the powerplay. Johnson Charles was trapped leg-before by Romario Shepherd for one, at 5-1. Rajapaksa and Colin Munro went past a 50-run partnership in 37 balls.
The pugnacious left-hander Rajapaksa reached his 50 from 26 balls, with a six off Keemo Paul. Boundaries continued to flow for the Kings as Odean Smith’s first over of the night yielded 19 runs. At the half-way stage, Kings were in control on 91-1 in 10 overs. Rajapaksa was on 64 at this stage, going all guns blazing.
Kings reached 100 runs in 10.3 overs, with Rajapaksa hitting Gudakesh Motie down the ground. Rajapaksa’s brutal innings ended when he was removed by Paul for 86, ending a 132-run partnership.
Rajapaksa struck nine fours and five sixes to bat Kings into a winning position. Munro, who played a supporting role, reached his 50 from 39 balls. The New Zealander made 55 from 43 balls to put Kings in the winners’ row. Sikandar Raza added the finishing touch as Kings ended on 170-3 in 17.1 overs.
Earlier, the unchanged Guyana Amazon Warriors won the toss and elected to bat first. A new pitch was used, and the Warriors had a slow start. Matthew Nadu struggled to get the ball off the square, and his misery ended when he was run out for three from 11 balls.
Warriors were 10-1 in 3.1 overs. Shai Hope joined Saim Ayub and the duo steadied the ship. Hope welcomed Alzarri Joseph to the bowling crease with an exquisite cover drive, followed by a touch of class into the third-man boundary. At the powerplay, Warriors were 35-1. Warriors reached their 50 in 8.1 overs. The canny Raza then cleaned up Ayub for 16 from 20 balls with Warriors on 50-2.
Hope and Khan added 32 runs together for the third wicket. Hope found it difficult to score his free-flowing cover drives, and was caught and bowled by the impressive Matthew Forde at 82-3 in 13.1 overs. He had struck five fours in his 38 from 35 balls.
The Kings’ fielding effort was poor for most of the game, and Shimron Hetmyer scored a boundary straight down the ground the second ball he faced.
Azam Khan struck the first six in the 16th over as Warriors breached the 100-run mark. Khan took a liking to Peter Hatzoglou, taking him for 18 runs in one over, including two sixes and one four.
Joseph, who bowled with extreme pace, was finally rewarded with the wicket of Khan at 119-4 in 16.4 overs. Khan was fearless, walking into a Joseph delivery and slamming him for a flat six. The Pakistani made 40 from 25 balls, an innings laced with three sixes and four fours.
Hetmyer then took matters into his own hands when he struck the leg-spinner Hatzoglou for a 100-metre six over the mid-wicket boundary. Paul got into his own when he struck McKenny Clarke for 21 runs in the penultimate over.
Joseph continued to bowl heat rocks and he removed Paul for 19 (13 balls). Shepherd slammed an unbeaten 10 from four balls while Hetmyer made 19 from 12 balls to take Warriors to 167-5 in 20 overs. Joseph had 2-31 in his four overs. Warriors posted 72 runs in the last five overs.
The 2023 CPL will continue on Saturday, September 16 with two matches. Jamaica Tallawahs will play St Kitts and Nevis Patriots from 10:00h, while Guyana Amazon Warriors will play the mighty Trinbago Knight Riders from 19:00h Eastern Caribbean time. (GTimes)