By Brandon Corlette
History was created at the packed Guyana National Stadium in Providence, as Guyana Amazon Warriors crushed the mighty Trinbago Knight Riders to win their first Caribbean Premier League (CPL) trophy.
A complete bowling effort by the Warriors restricted TKR to 94 all out in 18.1 overs, the second lowest score in CPL final history. In reply, Warriors ended on 99-1 in 14 overs, romping home to a nine-wicket win.
Watched by President Dr Irfaan Ali and some 15,000 fans, Warriors began their chase with Keemo Paul and Saim Ayub opening. The brave Paul struck two fours in his 11, but he was caught at mid-off by Kieron Pollard off the bowling of Akeal Hosein.
Hope joined Ayub, and TKR had intentions to squeeze the Warriors with attacking field settings. Ayub was dropped at the wicket when he was on two off the bowling of Sunil Narine.
At the powerplay, Warriors reached 29-1. Ayub broke the shackles when he struck Waqar Salamkheil for a six over long-off. He then hit the same bowler over long-on in the same over, as Warriors took further control of the chase.
Hope and Ayub kept level heads and took Warriors to 55-1 at the end of 10 overs, requiring another 40 from 60 balls. Ayub struck a six to seal the deal, scoring an unbeaten 52 from 41 balls, with five sixes and two fours, while Hope made 32 not out.
Earlier, the Amazon Warriors won the toss and opted to bowl first. Paul returned to the XI while Kevlon Anderson missed out. Chadwick Walton, who played and missed the first ball, get TKR’s innings going with a cracking cover drive for four. Mark Deyal was looking dangerous, but he played one shot too many as he was bowled by Dwaine Pretorius for 16 at 24-1 in 2.5 overs.
Walton was trapped at the wicket for 10 when he played back to a short Romario Shepherd delivery that kept extremely low, at 29-2 in 3.3 overs.
Nicholas Pooran was dropped on one by Azam Khan off Pretorius, but the next ball, he was out caught at mid-off for one as TKR were 35-3 in five overs. Warriors Nation erupted as the big fish, Pooran, made his exit early. At the powerplay, TKR were 41-3.
TKR slipped further as Pollard failed to trouble the scorers and pulled a long-hop straight to mid-wicket to give Gudakesh Motie his first of the night. In the same over, Motie sent back Hosein for one as TKR slipped to 44-5 in seven overs.
Andre Russell (03) survived a leg-before decision, but the next ball, he was caught at mid-on in a failed sweep. Imran Tahir was the man who accounted for Russell, and TKR were 49-6 in 9.3 overs.
In the midst of the baptism by fire for TKR, Keacy Carty stood firm and he was partnered by Dwayne Bravo. The duo attempted to counter the superb bowling from the Warriors, especially Motie, who bowled 17 dot balls, and claimed two wickets for seven runs in four magical overs.
Bravo’s struggles ended when he was trapped by the impressive Tahir for eight at 81-7 in 14.2 overs. Carty and Bravo added 32 runs together, but the fire power was lacking. Pretorius returned for his final bite and he sent back Narine (01) and Ali Khan (01) in the same over. Ronsford Beaton returned to end Carty’s fight and TKR’s innings at 94 all out in 18.1 overs. Carty made 38 from 45 balls. The tournament’s leading wicket-taker, Pretorius had 4-26 while Tahir had 2-8 in four overs.
This is the first time the Warriors have won a final in CPL history while four-time champions TKR have lost their first final in their fifth outing. (GTimes)