CPL

Warriors extend unbeaten streak with 98-run win over hapless Patriots

By Sports Desk September 02, 2023
Guyana Amazon Warriors celebrate a wicket. Guyana Amazon Warriors celebrate a wicket. CPL

Guyana Amazon Warriors moved to the top of the 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with a comfortable 98-run victory over the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots at Kensington Oval on Saturday.

The Patriots won the toss and opted to field first and that initially appeared to be an inspired decision when the Warriors were restricted to 55-4 inside the first seven overs. But excellent batting at the backend by Keemo Paul and Romario Shepherd, in particular, powered the Warriors to an imposing 186-6

In reply, the Patriots wobbled from the start and were never able to recover, much less to get close to the victorious total, as they were bowled out for a paltry 88.

Scores: Guyana Amazon Warriors 186-6 (20 overs); St Kitts and Nevis Patriots 88 all out (17.1 overs)

The Amazon Warriors initially had a good start to the Powerplay, racing to 32 inside the first three overs, before Oshane Thomas struck twice in the fourth over to restore some semblance of parity to the game. brought the Patriots into the game.

He had Saim Ayub (21) caught on the boundary and Hazratullah Zazai (seven) caught by wicketkeeper Andre Fletcher.

Two wickets became four when George Linde dismissed Azam Khan (six) and Thomas returned to pick up Shai Hope's scalp for 13, to leave the Amazon Warriors in trouble at 55-4.

However, the Guyanese pair of Shimron Hetmyer and Paul put on a 57-run partnership to rebuild the innings, before Dominic Drakes dismissed Hetmyer for a well-played 22-ball 36, which included three sixes and one four.

Dwaine Pretorius and Paul combined to put together another 48 from 31 balls to ensure the Warriors entered the backend of the innings with significant momentum. The former eventually fell for 27, but Shepherd came and slammed three sixes and a four in a seven-ball cameo of 27 to leave the Patriots an imposing 187 for victory. 

Paul ended unbeaten on 41 off 31 balls, his innings also had three sixes and a four.

Thomas was the pick of the Patriots bowlers with three for 26 from three overs.

The Patriots would have backed themselves to get to their target, but some poor shot selection made the task even more difficult than it was before. They lost Andre Fletcher (11), Evin Lewis (seven), Will Smeed (two) and Sherfane Rutherford (two), inside the PowerPlay and continued to lose wickets at regular intervals.

Chris Bosch with a run-a-ball 27 was the only batsman to offer any real resistance, against Pretorius's three for 17 and Gudakesh Motie's two for 15, as the Warriors romped to a third-straight win and remain the only unbeaten team in the league.

Related items

  • IPL: Gaikwad inspires CSK to emphatic victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad IPL: Gaikwad inspires CSK to emphatic victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad

    Ruturaj Gaikwad inspired Chennai Super Kings to a 78-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League.

    CSK lost by six wickets to Lucknow Super Giants in their last outing, but they bounced back in emphatic fashion on Sunday.

    Captain Gaikwad was in rampant form, plundering 98 runs from 54 balls, a knock that included 10 fours and three sixes, while Daryl Mitchell added a useful 52.

    Tushar Deshpande subsequently picked up the mantle with the ball, taking 4-27, including dismissing Hyderabad's top three - Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma and Anmolpreet Singh.

    Aiden Markram offered some resistance with a 26-ball 32, but once skipper Pat Cummins also fell to Deshpande, the game was all but up.

    Jaydev Unadkat was the final one to tumble, as Hyderabad were bowled out for 134 and saw CSK move above them into third in the standings.

    Data Debrief: Gaikwad on Kohli's heels

    With 447 runs across nine innings, Gaikwad is now second on the list of leading run scorers in the IPL this season, behind only the great Virat Kohli (500).

    Gaikward, though, has the better strike-rate at 149.49, while he is averaging 63.86.

  • Hayley Matthews leads from the front as West Indies Women take 2-0 lead over Pakistan Women with seven-wicket victory at Karachi Hayley Matthews leads from the front as West Indies Women take 2-0 lead over Pakistan Women with seven-wicket victory at Karachi

    In yet another stunning performance, West Indies Women’s captain Hayley Matthews led her team to a commanding seven-wicket victory over Pakistan Women, securing a 2-0 lead in their five-match T20 series in Karachi on Sunday.

    Matthews showcased her all-round prowess by first starring with the ball, taking an impressive 3 wickets for just 25 runs to restrict Pakistan Women to 121-7 in their allotted 20 overs. Despite a resilient 55 from Muneeba Ali, the hosts struggled against the visitors’ bowling attack, with Matthews leading the charge. She received support from Chinelle Henry, Karishma Ramharack, and Afy Fletcher, each claiming a wicket to stifle Pakistan’s batting efforts. Matthews also contributed to a crucial run-out that ended Pakistan’s innings.

    With a manageable target of 122 for victory, Matthews continued her dominance, opening the batting for West Indies Women. She began her innings aggressively, smashing 10 boundaries on her way to a match-high 58 runs off just 43 balls. Her attacking display laid a solid foundation for the run chase.

    Supported by contributions from Shemaine Campbelle (21) and Chedean Nation (unbeaten 17), Matthews guided her team to victory in emphatic fashion, sealing the win with 10 balls to spare.

    Matthews’ outstanding performance with both bat and ball underscores her invaluable role as a leader and key player for the West Indies Women’s team. Her contributions have been instrumental in securing consecutive victories against Pakistan Women, setting a strong foundation for the remainder of the series.

    The West Indies Women will look to build on this momentum as they aim to maintain their winning streak and clinch the series against Pakistan Women in the upcoming matches.

     

  • Motie's heroics lead West Indies A to victory over Nepal in T20 thriller: Series level at 1-1 Motie's heroics lead West Indies A to victory over Nepal in T20 thriller: Series level at 1-1

    In a thrilling encounter at Kirtipur, Gudakesh Motie emerged as the standout performer for West Indies A, propelling his team to a crucial victory over Nepal in the second T20 International to level the five-match series at 1-1. Motie's exceptional all-round display, featuring an unbeaten 33 off just eight balls and impactful bowling, played a pivotal role in securing the win.

    Batting first, West Indies A faced early setbacks but rallied behind Andre Fletcher's resilient 43 and Captain Roston Chase's 23. However, wickets fell at regular intervals, leaving the team in a precarious position at 115 for 7. When Fletcher departed, the onus fell on Motie to provide a late surge. With only 13 balls remaining, Motie unleashed a blitz, smashing two fours and four sixes to power his team to a competitive total of 160 for 7. Matthew Forde contributed with an unbeaten 11 as Sagar Dhakal and Kushal Bhurtel each picked up crucial wickets for Nepal.

    In response, Nepal's captain Rohit Paudel led the charge with a magnificent 71 off 48 balls, keeping his team in contention. However, Nepal's batting struggled against the West Indies A bowling attack, with only Gulsan Jha offering notable support with 26 runs. Motie continued to make an impact with the ball, claiming 2 crucial wickets for 244 runs alongside Obed McCoy, who showed signs of returning to form with his 2 for 24.

    Despite Paudel's heroics, Nepal fell short in their chase, ultimately conceding victory to West Indies A by 10 runs. Motie's exceptional performance earned him the Player of the Match award.

    The third match in the series is set for Wednesday, May 1, 2024.