AFTER twenty- one matches involving the six franchises of the inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League, the Guyana Amazon Warriors will clash with Trinidad and Tobago’s  Red Steel in the first semi-final match carded for the Queen’s Park Oval on Thursday, August 22 from 20:00 hrs.

The Jamaica Tallawahs, who narrowly defeated the T&T Red Steel by three

wickets in a tension-filled final over yesterday at Sabina Park will do battle with Barbados Tridents in the second semi-final on Friday at the same venue from 20:00 hrs.

Winners of the semi-finals will advance to contest the grand finale carded for Saturday at the Queen’s Park Oval.
Guyana Amazon Warriors topped the overall standings with ten points, the same as Jamaica Tallawahs but clinch the first position on a better net run rate of +10.628 compared to +0.162.
The Barbados Tridents finished third with eight points while the Red Steel was fourth with six points. The Antigua Hawksbills and St Lucia Zouks were in fifth and sixth position separated by a superior net run rate with four points each.
In the 21st match of the series at Sabina Park, the Jamaica Tallawahs stuttered after skipper Christopher Gayle gave them a great start with a blazing half century that was scored off 23 balls. Together with Chadwick Walton, Gayle (51) hammered five mighty sixes and four fours off 25 balls and together with Chadwick Walton laid the foundation for a comprehensive victory.
They added a hurricane 66 off 6.5 overs when Gayle’s attacking mood saw his demise as he attempted another massive hit off a slower delivery from his opposite number Dwayne Bravo who was severely punished earlier.
Gayle registered the biggest six of the tournament when he carted Barbados’ Miguel Cummins for a majestic 114-metre that went on an overseas journey out of the Sabina Park an over the gigantic George Headley stand.
He made a clean sweep of the awards as he also collected the biggest six award, the fastest scorer award and coveted “Man of the Match” bonus.
The Red Steel bowlers never gave up and tested the patience of the Tallawahs who lost their composure and lost wickets at regular intervals, but the experienced Danza Hyatt kept his cool and saw his team home off the final delivery bowled by Bravo who cause a little flutter when he had Dave Bernard caught by Kevon Cooper off the third ball of the over.
Hyatt was undefeated on 25 that contained one six and two fours off 25 balls while Walton made 28 with one six and two fours off 35 balls.
Bravo was expensive after Gayle ill-treated him with three huge consecutive sixes in his second over that cost 25 runs. He finished with 4-0-43-2 while Cooper was impressive with 4-0-14-2.
The Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel’s batsmen got starts but there were no significant partnerships. They lost wickets just when it seemed that something good was building.
Kevin O’Brien 11, Ross Taylor 20 Darren Bravo 27 (29balls, 1×4, 2x6s), Dwayne Bravo 29 (16 balls, 4x4s and 1×6) and Kevon Cooper 14 not out were the main scorers as the Red Steel compiled 133 for 8 off 20 overs.
Gayle was the leading wicket-taker with 4-0-24-2 while Bernard (1 for 20), Andrew Richardson (1 for 20), and Andre Russell (1 for 33) also played their part in keeping the Red Steel to a total that was achievable on a pitch that played better than the previous matches played there during the week.
Meanwhile, the Guyana Amazon Warriors cemented their semi-final position with two victories in high-tension final-over encounters with the Jamaica Tallawahs at Sabina Park last Thursday and the Antigua Hawksbills at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Saturday evening.
Both matches were thrilling affairs and went right down to the final over to decide the winner and on each occasion Guyana Amazon Warriors players rose to the occasion and registered important victories that pushed them to the top of the standings on ten points.
Against the Tallawahs, Amazon Warriors posted 139 for 6 off their 20 overs and then restricted the powerful Jamaican franchise to 134 for 8 in their 20; victory by five runs.
James Franklin 40, Martin Guptill 39 and Lendl Simmons 30 were the principal scorers while “Man of Match” Sunil Narine (4-0-10-1), Krishmar Santokie (4-0-33-2), Steven Jacobs (4-0-24-1), Veerasammy Permaul (3-0-25-1) and Mohammed Hafeez (4-0-35-1) did the bulk of the bowling, but it was Guyanese all-rounder Christopher Barnwell who performed the magical trick in the crucial final over when ten runs were required.
It was Barnwell’s first and only over and he scalped Vernon Philander , caught by Guptill off the first ball and Dave Bernard, caught by Sarwan off the fourth delivery, and conceded only four runs which sparked the Amazon Warriors to a sensational victory that pushed them to second spot on eight points, same as Barbados Tridents who lost their last three matches after their impressive showing with four consecutive wins and seemed headed for an unbeaten run until the Amazon Warriors broke their winning streak at the Queen’s Park Oval.
In the match against the Hawksbills, the Guyana Amazon Warriors faced the bigger run chase when the home franchise amassed 166 for 6 in 20 overs.
It was Pakistan Mohammed Hafeez who emerged as the batting hero with a brilliant undefeated fifty that was studded with two fours and four sixes, the last six off the penultimate delivery before sealing a stunning five-wicket victory off the last ball with a boundary when only one run was required.
It was a great fight back victory which will boost the Guyana Amazon Warriors spirit as they travel to Trinidad and Tobago to fight for a place in the grand finale scheduled for Saturday at the famous Queen’s Park Oval.
Although the T&T Red Steel will be at home, the Guyana Amazon Warriors should also expect massive support from the thousands who will be there to share in the historic journey to the coveted title- first Limacol CPLT20 champion.