THE Guyana Amazon Warriors must regain their winning ways to stay in contention for a semi-final berth in the inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League T20 which has enjoyed tremendous support from massive crowds in Guyana, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago.

The semis are carded for August 22 and 23 at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad and Tobago, the venue where the Guyana Amazon Warriors suffered their second consecutive defeat against the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel last Friday night.
The Amazon Warriors’ coach Roger Harper, his assistant Curtly Ambrose along with Sarwan must be pro-active and re-visit the team’s composition.
The middle-order failed to click against the Zouks while the frontliners Simmons (18), Guptill (6 off 12 balls) and Sarwan (4 off 8 balls) were disappointing in their latest encounter against the Red Steel, along with the team’s International franchise player, Mohammed Hafeez who made a pedestrian 32 off 38 balls.
Had it not been for the exhilarating strokeplay of James Franklin who in tandem with Christopher Barnwell provided great moments of thrill for the Amazon Warriors supporters during their unbroken 78-run fifth wicket partnership, would have been a major setback and uncertainty in regaining the momentum they had after their first two wins
Franklin’s timing was superb and his power-hitting was simply amazing as he hammered five glorious fours and three massive sixes, the last of them that rocketed way for 93-metres off Kevon Cooper’s penultimate delivery of the contest.
The Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel and their supporters were filled with over-joy with their first win of the Limacol-sponsored franchise-based professional competition in the Caribbean.
Franklin finished with a magnificent unbeaten 60 (5×4, 3×6; 34 balls) and would remain the unsung hero following his team’s second consecutive defeat, while his gallant display proved that the Amazon Warriors can still regain their winning ways.
However, in order for them to do so, there must be drastic changes at the top of the batting order as the New Zealander showed that he can be a match-winner if he is prompted to bat higher up with his perfect timing and immaculate placement coupled with brutal striking power are great assets for Twenty20 entertainers.
And the manner in which he crunched former West Indies pacer Fidel Edwards for three successive fours off the first three deliveries of the 17th over that started the final charge and his confidence was displayed with his 4, 6 wide and 4 off the last three deliveries from Cooper.
The attacking left-hander and Barnwell 21 n.o. (1×6, 1×4 18 balls) added 57 runs off the final four overs with 15 in the 17th, 14 in the 18th, 12 in the 19th and 16 in the 20th for the Amazon Warriors.
A bold decision has to be made to omit Steven Jacobs and replace him with Narsingh Deonarine whose off-spinning option will be vital against the buoyant Barbados Tridents, the lone unbeaten team in the LCPL T20 Championship.
Deonarine might have disappointed with the bat in the two innings he batted in Guyana, but the talented left-hander is a big match player and this encounter against the Tridents is the biggest of the preliminary rounds, while his experience and all-round prowess is essential for the Amazon Warriors quest for their third victory this afternoon.