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THE Guyana Amazon Warriors created history by becoming the first team to advance to the grand final of the inaugural Limacol Caribbean Professional League T20 competition. Aided by a thoroughly professional performance by all members, the Amazon Warriors inflicted a crushing seven-wicket defeat on the home franchise the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel at the famous Queen’s Park Oval last evening.
Having been inserted by skipper Sarwan who won the toss; the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel paid the price for not applying themselves against the crafty Amazon Warriors bowlers who were well supported by their fielders in their respective positions assigned to them by brilliant captaincy from Sarwan whose every move brought dividends.
The Amazon Warriors fielding was of the highest standard and everyone made sure that every chance that were offered was gleefully accepted, knowing full well that each catch and every wicket meant more pressure for the Red Steel team.
While the Amazon Warriors bowlers were astutely rotated by Sarwan, they also cleverly varied their pace and length as well as width that confused the Red Steel batsmen who committed too many errors and succumbed to the wiles of the spinners Tillakaratne Dilshan (4-0-14-2), Veerasammy Permaul (4-0-22-2) and Sunil Narine (4-0-29-1) as well as speedster Lasith Malinga (3.3-0-18-2) and medium pacer Krishmar Santokie (4-0-20-2).
The Red Steel were bowled out for a meagre 103 off 19.3 overs while the Guyana Amazon Warriors coasted comfortably home in the 17th over when skipper Ramnaresh Sarwan pulled Kevon Cooper for a boundary when only one run was required for a convincing victory.
The Amazon Warriors finished on 107 for 3 off 16.2 overs and celebrated their historic march to the grand finale. They had twenty balls remaining and it showed that there was no pressure to get the runs.
As Sri Lankan Dilshan showed that there was no problem with jet lag having just arrived on Wednesday emerged as the “Man of the Match” with a solid 39 (29 balls, 1×4 and two sixes) plus two wickets and one run out.
He featured in a 33-run second wicket partnership with opener William Perkins who made 18 (3x4s off 19 balls) and was the third wicket to fall after he and Sarwan had added a further 31 for the third wicket stand.
Dilshan entertained the crowd with his trademark “Dilscoop” shot for six off the bowling of speedster Edwards, depositing the while ball over the boundary marker with his unique non-chalant style.
Dilshan had replaced Lendl Simmons who caught by Sulieman Benn off Fidel Edwards for eight and the score 14 for 1 (2.3 overs).
Sarwan (18 not out, 19 balls, 1×4) batted through to the end and together with James Franklin (16n.o., 24 balls, 1×4) ensured that victory was achieved was comprehensive and sweet.
There is no question as to which team has the best bowling combination. Sarwan knows that he has the command of the most lethal combination of all the six franchise teams and he immediately, on winning the toss; decided to utilise them to full advantage and kept the thousands of Red Steel supporters relatively quiet throughout the innings as wickets tumbled at regularly and too much for comfort for the home franchise to truly parade their skills.
Sri Lankan all-rounder Dilshan was the one who proved his class and his late arrival as replacement for injured Martin Guptill was worth the money paid for his services. He started the demolition job by outfoxing hard-hitting Kevon O’Brien who offered a simple return catch from a slower delivery.
He made eight and it was eight runs for one wicket. Soon it was 14 for 2 with Sri Lankan Mahela Jayawardene (2 runs, 3 balls) strolling off the ground, having given Sarwan a gentle lobbed catch at short extra cover off a slower delivery from leftarm seamer Santokie.
New Zealander Ross Taylor perished when he was smartly taken by Christopher Barnwell at the mid-wicket boundary area when he pulled leftarm spinner Permaul who later deceived Nicolas Pooran with the straighter delivery after he had registered a massive six. Pooran (14 runs, 11 balls, 1×6) was caught by wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin who is on a history making journey.
Adrian Barath, sent back by Darren Bravo while attempting to get a single; was run out by the Dilshan/Ramdin combo.
Barath made 12 off 18 balls while Bravo gave his hand away with the first delivery of the next over bowled by Dilshan. He attempted an extravagant off drive but found James Franklin, waiting patiently at the wide long off position; for the skied shot.
Much depended on Darren Bravo but his dismissal left the T&T Red Steel in total disarray at 32 for 5 off 8.1 overs.
Skipper Dwayne Bravo tried to steady the floundering ship and for a period he got some valuable support from Kevon Cooper whose attacking style rewarded him with two massive sixes off his Queen’s Park Cricket Clubmate Sunil Narine.
Together they fashioned a 45-run seventh wicket partnership which ended off the last ball of the eighteenth over bowled by Narine who claimed Cooper as his consolation wicket.
Bravo was spectacularly caught by Permaul off Malinga whose lethal yorker shattered Fidel Edwards middle stump stumps to close the innings at 103 with three balls remaining.
The Amazon Warriors and their supporters celebrated and will await the winner of the Barbados Tridents versus Jamaica Tallawahs semi-final encounter today which will be played at the same venue from 22:00 hrs.
Having been inserted by skipper Sarwan who won the toss; the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel paid the price for not applying themselves against the crafty Amazon Warriors bowlers who were well supported by their fielders in their respective positions assigned to them by brilliant captaincy from Sarwan whose every move brought dividends.
The Amazon Warriors fielding was of the highest standard and everyone made sure that every chance that were offered was gleefully accepted, knowing full well that each catch and every wicket meant more pressure for the Red Steel team.
While the Amazon Warriors bowlers were astutely rotated by Sarwan, they also cleverly varied their pace and length as well as width that confused the Red Steel batsmen who committed too many errors and succumbed to the wiles of the spinners Tillakaratne Dilshan (4-0-14-2), Veerasammy Permaul (4-0-22-2) and Sunil Narine (4-0-29-1) as well as speedster Lasith Malinga (3.3-0-18-2) and medium pacer Krishmar Santokie (4-0-20-2).
The Red Steel were bowled out for a meagre 103 off 19.3 overs while the Guyana Amazon Warriors coasted comfortably home in the 17th over when skipper Ramnaresh Sarwan pulled Kevon Cooper for a boundary when only one run was required for a convincing victory.
The Amazon Warriors finished on 107 for 3 off 16.2 overs and celebrated their historic march to the grand finale. They had twenty balls remaining and it showed that there was no pressure to get the runs.
As Sri Lankan Dilshan showed that there was no problem with jet lag having just arrived on Wednesday emerged as the “Man of the Match” with a solid 39 (29 balls, 1×4 and two sixes) plus two wickets and one run out.
He featured in a 33-run second wicket partnership with opener William Perkins who made 18 (3x4s off 19 balls) and was the third wicket to fall after he and Sarwan had added a further 31 for the third wicket stand.
Dilshan entertained the crowd with his trademark “Dilscoop” shot for six off the bowling of speedster Edwards, depositing the while ball over the boundary marker with his unique non-chalant style.
Dilshan had replaced Lendl Simmons who caught by Sulieman Benn off Fidel Edwards for eight and the score 14 for 1 (2.3 overs).
Sarwan (18 not out, 19 balls, 1×4) batted through to the end and together with James Franklin (16n.o., 24 balls, 1×4) ensured that victory was achieved was comprehensive and sweet.
There is no question as to which team has the best bowling combination. Sarwan knows that he has the command of the most lethal combination of all the six franchise teams and he immediately, on winning the toss; decided to utilise them to full advantage and kept the thousands of Red Steel supporters relatively quiet throughout the innings as wickets tumbled at regularly and too much for comfort for the home franchise to truly parade their skills.
Sri Lankan all-rounder Dilshan was the one who proved his class and his late arrival as replacement for injured Martin Guptill was worth the money paid for his services. He started the demolition job by outfoxing hard-hitting Kevon O’Brien who offered a simple return catch from a slower delivery.
He made eight and it was eight runs for one wicket. Soon it was 14 for 2 with Sri Lankan Mahela Jayawardene (2 runs, 3 balls) strolling off the ground, having given Sarwan a gentle lobbed catch at short extra cover off a slower delivery from leftarm seamer Santokie.
New Zealander Ross Taylor perished when he was smartly taken by Christopher Barnwell at the mid-wicket boundary area when he pulled leftarm spinner Permaul who later deceived Nicolas Pooran with the straighter delivery after he had registered a massive six. Pooran (14 runs, 11 balls, 1×6) was caught by wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin who is on a history making journey.
Adrian Barath, sent back by Darren Bravo while attempting to get a single; was run out by the Dilshan/Ramdin combo.
Barath made 12 off 18 balls while Bravo gave his hand away with the first delivery of the next over bowled by Dilshan. He attempted an extravagant off drive but found James Franklin, waiting patiently at the wide long off position; for the skied shot.
Much depended on Darren Bravo but his dismissal left the T&T Red Steel in total disarray at 32 for 5 off 8.1 overs.
Skipper Dwayne Bravo tried to steady the floundering ship and for a period he got some valuable support from Kevon Cooper whose attacking style rewarded him with two massive sixes off his Queen’s Park Cricket Clubmate Sunil Narine.
Together they fashioned a 45-run seventh wicket partnership which ended off the last ball of the eighteenth over bowled by Narine who claimed Cooper as his consolation wicket.
Bravo was spectacularly caught by Permaul off Malinga whose lethal yorker shattered Fidel Edwards middle stump stumps to close the innings at 103 with three balls remaining.
The Amazon Warriors and their supporters celebrated and will await the winner of the Barbados Tridents versus Jamaica Tallawahs semi-final encounter today which will be played at the same venue from 22:00 hrs.
