THE Guyana Amazon Warriors ended their home leg of the Hero Caribbean Premier League twenty20 tournament in impressive fashion, whipping the St Lucia Stars by seven wickets last evening at the National Stadium, Providence.

The victory for the Warriors takes them above Barbados Tridents, to fourth in the table and gave them a crucial net run rate boost in the race for a Playoff place.
The Warriors produced a disciplined bowling and fielding effort to restrict a marauding St Lucia Stars to a modest 100-7.
They then overhauled the target in 14.4 overs, with Jason Mohammed hitting an unbeaten 42.

The Warriors’ fielding was universally outstanding. No catches were dropped, and some of those taken were far from straightforward. The bowlers were all hard to get away, with leg-spinner Rashid Khan and Rayad Emrit, taking two wickets apiece for 19 and 26 runs respectively.

Left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul had 1-16, while off-spinner Steven Jacobs and Sohail Tanvir leaked 22 and 16 runs in their respective spells.
It was a struggle for the tourists from the word go as they lost early wickets, which eventually was the main reason they failed to put on a substantial partnership to get to a winning total.

Despite having so many big-hitting batsmen in their ranks, the Stars could hit only five boundaries and two sixes in their entire 20 overs.
Jesse Ryder made 29 with three fours, and was the only batsman who contributed more than 20.

Sent in to bat by Martin Guptill, Johnson Charles kick started the innings, with a boundary in front of point off Tanvir, but the top order spluttered yet again and slumped to 35-3.
Permaul was right on the money, removing the danger man Andre Fletcher (1) off the fifth ball of the second over to a long-off catch taken by Khan.
Shane Watson (0) became victim of a terrible mix up in the third over, and was run out from a direct hit from Keemo Paul, who was stationed at point.

Those two dismissals restricted the Stars to 26-2 inside the Powerplay overs. Much was expected from Johnson Charles, but he too perished in the eighth over, caught on the long-on boundary off Emrit for 15, and half way through the innings, the Stars were struggling at 46-3.

As if that was not enough, the Warriors removed another dangerman, Ryder, who was run out attempting a second run.
Sunil Ambris (15 not out) and Darren Sammy (19) then held the innings together for a short period with a crucial 26-run stand for the fifth-wicket to take the visitors somewhat forward.
But just when it seemed things were starting to look a little bright for the Stars, Sammy, on whom the Stars depended much to get to a fighting total, perished after a fighting 24-ball 19. Sammy was unfortunately dismissed leg-before wicket to Khan off a massive inside edge.

Rakheem Cornwall muscled Tanvir over square leg for the innings first six but perished soon after, so too was Shane Shillingford before Jerome Taylor closed the innings off with a six off Emrit.
The Warriors did not have a great start to the run chase as opener Chadwick Walton fell off the first delivery of the innings, leg-before wicket to Taylor.
Guptill followed him soon after, stumped off Cornwall for 8, but Tanvir who was again promoted to open, ensured the run rate never became a concern.

Man-of-the-Match Tanvir scored 38 from 29 balls, with five fours and a six and his partnership of 51 with Mohammad took the Warriors within 28 of victory when he was stumped.
Mohammed and Gajanand Singh then eased them home comfortably, with Mohammed who hit three fours and two sixes unbeaten on 42.
The Warriors next game is against Barbados Tridents next Tuesday, before taking on the Jamaica Tallawahs on Friday, September 1.

SCOREBAORD
St Lucia Stars
A Fletcher c Rashid Khan b Permaul 1
J Charles c Singh b Emrit 15
S Watson run out (Paul) 0
J Ryder run out (Paul/Walton) 29
S Ambris not out 15
D Sammy lbw b Khan 19
R Cornwall c Guptill b Khan 10
S Shillingford c Jacobs b Emrit 2
J Taylor not out 7
Extras: (lb-1, w-1)
Total: (seven wickets; 20 overs) 100
Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-6, 3-35, 4-47, 5-73, 6-87, 7-92
Bowling: Tanvir 4-0-22-0, Permaul 4-0-16-1, Emrit 4-0-26-2, Khan 4-0-19-2, Jacobs 4-0-16-0

Guyana Amazon Warriors
C Walton lbw b Taylor 0
S Tanvir st †Fletcher b Shillingford 38
M Guptill st †Fletcher b Cornwall 8
J Mohammed not out 42
G Singh not out 8
Extras: (lb-1, w-4) 5
Total: (three wickets 14.4 overs) 103
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-22, 3-73
Bowling: Taylor 2-0-13-1, Shillingford 4-0-20-1, Cornwall 4-0-27-1, Leie 3-0-24-0, McClenaghan 1.4-0-16-0