The Amazon Warriors were impaled by the Barbados Tridents on Saturday evening in match 28 of the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
The home Franchise lost by 15 runs. Brad Hodge and Lendl Simmons got warriors off to the stable start they needed, cruising at 23 without loss after the first 6 overs. Hodge, the 41 year old Aussie found joy in pressuring the Trident fielders, pushing his younger counterpart for quick singles and even quicker twos.
However, the often cheeky cut shot that brought Hodge success earlier, would prove to be his downfall, as he dragged an Imran Khan delivery back onto the stumps, ending his innings of 27 (28b 4×4 0x6). 5 balls later Simmons 15 (31b 0x4 0x6) made the lonely walk back to the pavilion, the victim of a beautiful catch by Khan at short third man off the bowling of Captain Kieron Pollard.
Umar Akmal lit up the center with some flashy boundaries but fell prey to the lure of Kieron Pollard who had him caught at deep mid wicket for 20 (22b 2×4 1×6). After the departure of Akmal, Christopher Barnwell came out to the center and continued to turn the strike over, but the partnership was broken by Ryad Emritt just an over and a half later, the Skipper Ramdin driving into the hands of Misbah at cover, ending his innings at 14 (15b 1×4 0x6).
With the departure of Ramdin, the frowns like, the run rate continued to grow. An out of flavour Barnwell and David Weise brought them 11 from the second to last over, but they still needed 22 off 6; no better time for the tridents skipper Pollard to take the ball. Barnwell slapped the first for a 6 and the crowd erupted.
Barnwell was back!! A scampering double off the second ball meant the Warriors needed 16 in 4. Ball number 3 – Stumps! Flying! Barnwell completely mistimed Pollard and his stumps paid the price. Sunil Narine came to the crease needing 16 from 3 but that proved a tall task for the spinner, who only mustered a single.
Weise looking to make the most of a bad situation held Pollard out to be caught at mid wicket. The warriors were beaten! The Tridents’ bowling – Pollard ended with 4-0-4-30, Emrit 4-0-1-20, Peterson 4-0-0-16, Khan 4-0-1-22.
Earlier, in the Tridents batting Stephen Taylor was the first to go, attempting to flick Weise but only skied the ball for Ramdin to take, closing off early with 13 (15b 0x4 1×6). Dwayne Smith tried to accelerate the scoring, and was successful for a bit, hammering a Hero maximum over long on three balls after Taylor’s demise. His flair, however, was short lived as he had to depart two deliveries later after holding one out to Akmal at long off who sprinted from Long on. He ended with 14 (16b 1×4 1×6). Jonathon Carter also had a short-lived stint at the crease, departing 6 balls later for 7 (after nudging an in-swinging beauty from Weise into the outstretched diving arms of Ramdin. A useful little partnership between Pakistani Misbah and South African Peterson began to form in the middle and pushed the Tridents to 56 before the latter had to depart.
He slammed Devindra Bishoo for a super 6 over long on and followed it up with a switch hit over mid wicket for 4 but the Guyanese, Bishoo, came back strongly capitalizing on the exuberance of Peterson 13 (17b 1×4 1×6) and sliding one through the front gates.
By this time the celebrating Warriors were brought to silence by the entry of Tridents captain Pollard. Misbah departed a 2 balls later softly after spooning one into the hands of Fudadin at short gully for 6 (17b 0x4 0x6). Keiron Pollard, much like Smith looked to get a move on and was successful with a few strikes.
A roaring ovation from the approximately 12,000 fans at the Providence stadium in the last ball of the 12th over signalled what the Bajans feared, the dismissal of the danger man Pollard. A ripping delivery from hometown hero Permaul bewildered an advancing Pollard leaving him at sea half way down the track and with a rocked back off stump, and an unimpressive score of 2 off 5 balls (0x4 0x6). Jason Holder and Ryad Emritt came together for a classy partnership that brought up the hundred.
Consecutive boundaries, cannon of a six over long on from Holder, followed by a slashing outside edge that passed inches from an outstretched Fudadin at short third man showed that the Bajans were looking to accelerate at the start of the 18th. However, the Warriors had other ideas. Weise returned to have Holder 30 (17b 2×4 2×6) caught at cover after cramping him with a delivery and the very next ball had Emrit caught at long on ending his 21 ball 21 at the crease.
Nurse provided 1 hero maximum and a single before ending his 4 ball stint. The innings ended when Imran Khan slashed Merchant de Lange through the slips for a 4 off the last ball; the tridents 125/9. Wiese ended 4-0-5-28, Bishoo 4-0-2-23, Permaul 4-0-1-27 and de Lange 4-0-1-28. With the loss by the Warriors, the Tridents extend their lead atop the table and the Warriors remain second, the result of a superior net run rate.
The Warriors oppose the Red Steel on Tuesday at the same venue.
SCORECARD
Barbados Tridents Innings
DR Smith c Akmal b Wiese 14
S Taylor c Ramdin b Wiese 13
Misbah ul-Haq c Fudadin b Bishoo 6
J Carter c Ramdin b Wiese 7
R Peterson b Bishoo 13
K Pollard* b Permaul 2
J Holder c Narine b Wiese 30
R Emrit c Akmal b Wiese 21
A Nurse c Hodge b de Lange 7
R Rampaul not out 5
I Khan not out 1
Extras 6
Total (9 wickets; 20 overs) 125
Bowling: V Permaul (4-0-27-1), M de Lange (4-0-28-1), D Wiese (4-0-30-5), S Narine (4-1-14-0), D Bishoo (4-0-23-2)

Guyana Amazon Warriors Innings
L Simmons c Khan b Pollard 15
B Hodge b Khan 27
D Ramdin* c Misbah b Emrit 14
U Akmal c Smith b Pollard 20
C Barnwell b Pollard 24
D Wiese c Smith b Pollard 7
S Narine not out 1
V Permaul not out 0
Extras 3
Total (6 wickets; 20 overs) 111
DNB – A Fudadin, M de Lange, D Bishoo
Bowling: R Peterson (4-0-16-0), I Khan (4-0-22-1), R Rampaul (4-0-23-0), R Emrit (4-0-20-1), K Pollard (4-0-30-4)

Result: Tridents won by 14 runs
Toss – Tridents, who chose to bat
Points – GAW 0, Tridents 2

By Stephan Sookram