…TKR through to CPL knockout stages

THE Guyana Amazon Warriors gave another unconvincing performance, and crashed to their fifth defeat in the 2017 Hero Caribbean Premier League twenty20 tournament, yesterday, when Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) comfortably out-muscled them by seven wickets.

The Warriors were unsuccessful in defending a target of 131, as an unbeaten 65 off 45 balls from Brendon McCullum led the visitors to victory with 25 balls to spear in match 17th of the competition, at the National Stadium, Providence.

Earlier in the day, and on another tough pitch for batting, Jason Mohammed was the only player for the Warriors who proved his worth against some superb slow bowling, with an attractive 58-ball 66.

The Knight Riders’ spinners played a key part in restricting the hosts, with Sunil Narine being the standout. His spell of 1 for 11 ensured the Guyana Amazon Warriors were restricted to 130 for 5.

After being put in to bat, the Warriors innings got off to a frenetic start, with Chadwick Walton guiding consecutive leg-side boundaries off Ronsford Beaton, but his aggressive nature quickly faded in the second over when he was caught on the deep mid-wicket boundary off left-arm spinner, Khary Pierre for an 8-ball 13.

Things got worse shortly after when Martin Guptill scratchy innings came to an end in the fourth over. Guptill, after facing ten balls for his four, was deceived in flight from a special delivery from Narine, which spun back to smash into the stumps.

Those two dismissals brought Mohammed and Assad Fudadin to the middle. They provided a brief period of consolidation and gave the innings some fresh impetus, with Mohammed lifting Pierre for a straight boundary before Fudadin smashed wide of cover for the first six of the innings in the fifth over.

Fudadin lifted Dwayne Bravo down the ground before Mohammed smashed him to the point boundary, which meant the Warriors ended the Powerplay 39-2.

After that brief partnership, Fudadin was dismissed by left-arm spinner Nikita Miller for 13.

The wicket of Fudadin meant Gajanand Singh joined Mohammed at the crease and together the pair combined in a busy partnership of 63 off 58 balls, which lifted them pass 100.

Mohammed stepped up his assault, clattering Miller for a straight six, and at the half-way stage, the Warriors were 61-3.

The 11th over yielded eleven runs, but while Mohammed continued onwards unperturbed, the late surge never came despite having wickets in hand.

They managed just 29 runs off the last four overs. Singh made a run-a-ball 27 before he went in the 17th over to Ronsford Beaton. Mohammed was dismissed off the innings last over.

The tournament leaders’ chase started badly when Narine went to left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul in the inning second over. Sohail Tanvir then bowled Colin Munroe in the third over to leave the visitors at 18 for 2.

But McCullum and Bravo then took control of the chase, despite McCullum being put through a tough examination from leg-spinner Rashid Khan. The New Zealander was all at sea to Khan but he was determined to fight it out.

He was put down by wicketkeeper Walton on 21 off Khan, and then survived a close leg before wicket appeal, but thereafter, McCullum and Bravo blossomed at ease, and even a double bowling change after the Powerplay could not have prevented the steady flow of runs, as the pair helped themselves well to the multiple scoring opportunities on offer.

They were particular and equally harsh against Permaul and off-spinner Steven Jacobs, hitting a series of boundaries. However, Rayad Emrit ended the 56-run stand, when he bowled Bravo for 27 off 19 balls.

McCullum continued his assault, smashing Roshan Primus for consecutive sixes and a four in the 15th over, which yielded 20 runs.

McCullum capitalised on his reprieves, striking four fours and four sixes and sharing an unbroken stand with Denesh Ramdin, who brought an end to proceedings with a six.

The result has sent Trinbago Knight Riders through to the knockout stages, and leaves the Warriors facing an uphill task to qualify.

The Warriors will play the Barbados Tridents from 18:00hrs this evening.