By Rajiv Bisnauth

AN inspiring bowling effort from the Trinbago Knight Riders gave the visitors a morale-boosting seven-run win over the Guyana Amazon Warriors in match eleven of the HERO Caribbean Premier League (CPL) last evening at the National Stadium, Providence.Defending a challenging target of 151 on a difficult pitch, the visitors’ bowlers restricted the Warriors to 144-9 in the stipulated 20 overs.

With the spinners accounting for thirteen overs it became a herculean task for the Warriors batsmen to negotiate.
Left-arm spinner Anton Devcich had 2-17, Sunil Narine 2-25 and Sulieman Benn 1-25, did the damage in the spin department while Dwayne Bravo and Kevon Cooper also did a commendable job, claiming two wickets apiece.
Barring skipper, Martin Guptill half century, the ability to fight was simple not there in the Warriors remaining batsmen whose campaign was unbeaten until this game.
The target wasn’t big enough, but the slowness of the track definitely made things difficult for the home team.
With 14 runs needed in the last over, allrounder Cooper held his nerve in ensuring the comfortable victory.
Earlier opener and Man-of-the-Match Hashim Amla top-scored with an impressive 64 off 54 balls, with six boundaries, as Trinbago Knight Riders shook off a wobbly start to post a decent total.
Put into bat, the visitors made a poor start as they were reduced to 36-1 in the sixth over, but a fine contribution from Amla and a late flurry from Bravo took them to a fighting total in their crucial match.
The visitors added 54 runs in the final five overs to reach the 150 mark after they were placed at 97-2 at the end of the 15th over.
Bravo, who hit a four and three sixes in his eight-ball knock, took the responsibility of taking the defending champions to a decent total after Amla’s departure as he played some exquisite shots towards the end in his 25.
The Trinbago Knight Riders were denied a strong start with medium pacer Rayad Emrit (2-32) claiming the wicket of Anton Devcich (7) in the fifth over.
However, Amla and Colin Munroe had an unconquered second wicket stand of 42 in 6.2 overs as they frustrated the Warriors bowlers who had done a fine job till then.
The pair, during that period, threatened to take the fight against the Warriors with a few lusty blows, before Permaul removed Munroe (18) in the 12th over.
Amla, who took the responsibility of first steadying the innings then, shared another crucial partnership with Umar Akmal, adding 43 runs in six overs before he was bowled by leg spinner Adam Zampa in the 18th over.
Bravo was dismissed in the final over, but Denesh Ramdin helped himself to two boundaries off the four deliveries he faced while Akmal hit a single boundary in his unbeaten 23.
Devcich then sent jitters through the Warriors dugout with the wickets of Dwayne Smith (0) and Chris Lynn (21) as the home team scored 28 runs in the Powerplay overs.
With Guptill standing firm at one end, the Warriors lost Jason Mohammed (19), Anthony Bramble (4) and Sohail Tanvir (1) in the middle overs with the 73 runs needed off 36 balls.
The pressure mounted, and Christopher Barnwell, who joined Guptill, hit one six, but played almost every other shot straight to a fielder as the dot balls piled on.
However, the Warriors failed to keep up with the asking rate, and lost Barnwell (10), Emrit (12) and Guptill in quick succession.
With 30 needed off two overs, Permaul smashed Bravo for two fours and a six in the 19th over, but the task in the final over was too much for the Warriors lower order.
The Warriors will play St Lucia Zouks in their final home game tomorrow from 19:00hrs.