IN a fantastic atmosphere, a 106-third-wicket partnership from 61 balls between Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer and seven wickets from the spinners spearheaded the Warriors to a 47-run win over the Barbados Royals on Wednesday night at Providence.
Hope made 71 from 37 balls with five fours and five sixes while Hetmyer’s 57 was decorated with four fours and three sixes and lasted 34 balls as the Warriors reached 219-8 from 20 overs.
Azam Khan (26), Romario Shepherd (23) and Dwaine Pretorius (12) were the other batters to reach double figures as the Warriors on 165-2 in the 15th over could only manage 46 in the last five overs thanks to Shepherd’s 13-ball cameo which included a six and two fours.
Left-arm spinner, Maheesh Theekshana, had 3-15 for the Royals, who were restricted to 172-9.

Gudakesh Motie (3-38) Imran Tahir (2-22) and Ali (2-16) aided to the defending Champions to an emphatic win.
Royals slipped 17-2 before Rivaldo Clarke and 31-year-old South African Quinton de Kock carried the score to 50 in the seventh over.

But when off-spinner Ali had de Kock LBW for 35 which took him to 314 runs, the Royals were 63-3.

Clarke (17) was LBW to Tahir without addition to the score. Tahir then bowled Powell (10) at 79-5.

The 45-year-old Warriors skipper ran with his arms outstretched like a bird about to fly and the dancing fans went wild with unadulterated joy.
When Ali removed Holder (7) at 86-6 it was all over bar the shouting despite some fight from David Miller who top scored with an unbeaten 71 with eight fours and five sixes.
Earlier, the Warriors, who have used 14 different opening pairs in the last two seasons were asked to bat on a good track with a lightning-fast outfield.

Another capacity crowd roared to welcome back Rahmanullah Gurbaz on his return from Afghanistan, South Africa 3-match ODI series where he earned two man-of- the-match awards .
Gurbaz swept Theekshana for six before being caught at slip next ball for seven at 8-1 in the first over.

The burly Khan edged Jason Holder for four before off-driving him for four more while he clobbered Naveem Ul-Hak, flicked him to fine-leg and upper-cut him to third as the boundaries flowed.
Hope got going with three successive boundaries the last one landing in the stands to post the 50 in 4.4 overs. Hope celebrated the landmark with another four as Keshav Maharaj’s first leaked 22 runs.

After the six power-play overs, the Warriors had galloped to 60-1 to the delight of flag-waving fans.
Khan (26 from 17 balls with 5 fours) was removed by Holder at 59-2 in the sixth over.

Hetymer joined Hope and was lovingly greeted by the raucous noise which reached a crescendo.
The entertaining left-hander from Cumberland in Berbice did not disappoint. He got going with an imperious punch past extra cover before flat-batting Maharaj past his ankles for four.
Hetmyer greeted Obed McCoy with a pugnacious six while Hope was not to be left out in the runs feast as the pair brought up the 100 in the 10th over.

Hetmyer continued his brutal onslaught and brought up his third fifty from 29 balls with three fours and three sixes while Hope reached his first fifty in the 12th over when he hit Ul-Hak for his third four. His half-century took 27 balls and included four sixes.
Hope put his foot on the gas as 150 came up in 14 overs before Maharaj broke the third wicket stand when Rovman Powell held a stupendous diving catch, running in from long-on to leave the Warriors on 165-3.
Moin Khan, who made 42 in the last match, was caught and bowled by Obed McCoy for eight at 178-4 before Hope departed a run later off Theekshana who soon removed Keemo Paul (1) at 181-6 in the 17th over as the Royals fought back

Shepherd and Dwaine Pretorius added 33 in 17 balls before they were both run out. Emerging Junior Sinclair hit the final ball for four.
The Warriors, who moved to 12 points from eight games, sit two points behind St Lucia Kings who they face tomorrow from 10:00hrs in the only day game.

The Amazon Warriors will then play their final preliminary game against Trinbago Knight Riders on Sunday night.