LAST year’s losing finalists, Guyana Amazon Warriors, could prove the spoilers for Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel, when the two teams clash in the final game of the Caribbean Premier League group phase today.Red Steel are on a three-game winning streak and victory at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, will carry them atop the standings on 13 points, and earn them an automatic berth in the final. Meanwhile cricket fans can expect a ‘spin off’ between two sides according to Steel coach Simon Helmot.
Speaking to the media on arrival at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) yesterday Helmot indicated that the Warriors have been spinning well, but the Red Steel bring an equally impressive slower attack.
“Spin versus spin, my friend. I think we come with some really good spinners too, don’t we? It’s going to be a spin-off. Obviously they’ve got Permaul, Bishoo and Narine who’s one of the best in the world facing off against Badrie, Benn, Botha and Davis, so it’s going to be a pretty exciting challenge. No doubt the wicket here is spin; there’s not much pace and bounce.”
He indicated that the batting plan is focused a lot on turning over the strike at all times to avoid those slower middle overs as well as a putting away as many bad balls as possible.
Captain Dwayne Bravo says the steel are not afraid of the Warriors’ attack but are obviously more than aware of the challenges that lie ahead, adding that he is not worried about the Guyanese spinners. All-rounder and star performer Jacques Kallis says that today’s game is a must win for the Trinidad franchise as they look to get a straight road to the final.
“Hopefully we can put in another big performance, obviously we need to win this game to go straight to the final and it’s a big motivation for us; we all want to put in a big performance and make life easier for ourselves because we’ve had quite a tight schedule as of late and it would be nice to have a few days off. Get straight into the final and one big performance,” said Kallis.
Meanwhile Warriors captain Denesh Ramdin says that there is need to revisit the approach his unit used in chasing down totals: “I’m quite happy with the bowling department. I think that we have been bowling brilliantly throughout the tournament and our batting has been there and thereabouts. I think that it’s very important that we go back to the drawing board and look at getting ones and twos.”
Currently, reigning champions Barbados Tridents top the standings with 12 points and are on the brink of securing their spot in the championship game scheduled for Queen’s Park Oval next Sunday.
A Red Steel win, however, will dislodge the Tridents, leaving them to fight it out with Jamaica Tallawahs and Amazon Warriors for a place in the final.
Should Amazon Warriors beat Red Steel, they will join them on 11 points and could finish second or remain third, depending on net run rate.
More importantly, an Amazon Warriors victory will keep Tridents top. The game bowls off at 18:00hrs today.
Tallawahs are fourth on nine points and round out the top four, while St Lucia Zouks, also on nine points, and St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, eight points, have been eliminated.
The semi-finals are scheduled to be played Thursday and Saturday, also at Queen’s Park Oval.

By Stephan Sookram