…set up date with St Lucia Kings

By Frederick Halley

DEFENDING champions Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW), as they did last year, used the same route to reach tomorrow’s final of the 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) tournament, inflicting an emphatic eight-wicket defeat over the Barbados Royals in the second qualifier, played at the Guyana National Stadium before their roaring and adorable supporters last night.

In last year’s encounter, played at the same venue, GAW won from the Jamaica Tallawahs after losing the first qualifier to the Trinbago Knight Riders. They then defeated the latter to claim their first title since the tournament started in 2013.
Set 149 for victory, after dismissing their opponents for 148 off the last delivery of the 20th over, GAW cruised to 150 for two in 14.3 overs, setting up a return date with the St Lucia Kings who defeated them in Wednesday night’s first qualifier at the same venue.
It was the second consecutive victory over the Barbados Royals following their 47-run win in their last preliminary round game.

The chase was built around marvellous batting from the inform Shai Hope, who blazed to an entertaining 56 off just 33 balls, 40 off a mere 18 balls from opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz and an undefeated 44 off 35 balls from Moeen Ali.
Hope and Ali shared a second-wicket partnership of 93 before the former, who struck six fours and two sixes, departed with just two needed for victory. Ali, who was opening the batting for the first time in the tournament, hit three fours and two sixes to claim the man-of-the-match award following his two for 24 when Barbados Royals batted.

The run chase started with the constant Gurbaz having a new partner once more, this time in Ali. The latter, in particular, seemed in a hurry, as the partnership raced to 54 off just 20 balls, with Gurbaz belting two fours and four massive sixes in his 40. He took a special liking for the dangerous Maheesh Teekshana, with three of his four sixes coming off the impressive Sri Lankan.
Teekshana however had the final say when Gurbaz skied him to Naveen-ul-Haq at deep mid-wicket.

There was however no respite for the hapless Barbados Royals bowlers as Hope joined the party and seemed in a non-nonsense mood until he was bowled by left-arm medium pacer Ramon Simmons.
Earlier, Barbados Royals, who were inserted by GAW’s skipper Imran Tahir, lost their last five wickets for a mere 11 runs, slumping from 139 for six in 18.1 overs to 148 all out at the end of their 20.

The innings never got going following the loss of their leading scorer, Quinton de Kock, who after smashing left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie over deep extra cover for six, was outfoxed with the next delivery which saw him departing, caught and bowled by the wily spinner.
Fellow opener Rakeem Cornwall (19) played some lusty blows off Romario Shepherd, including consecutive boundaries, but after a prolonged lbw appeal which saw Cornwall sprinting for a run and colliding with the bowler, replays showed the ball would after cannon into his leg stump.
Alick Athanaze, in the meantime, also looked in good nick, hitting three effortless fours and a six but he also failed to capitalise on a good start, hitting skipper Imran Tahir down the “throat” of Kemo Paul at long-off.

The night of cameos continued as captain Rovman Powell (12) joined the party with consecutive boundaries from off-spinner Ali, including a thunderous six over mid-wicket, but followed by hitting a short ball straight to Kevin Sinclair at long-off.
It took a fine sixth-wicket partnership of 52 between David Miller and Jason Holder, who joined forces in the 12th over to bring some respectability to the total. Once Miller departed, brilliantly caught by Shimron Hetmyer off Ali for 36 (two four and two sixes), the rest of the innings folded meekly.

Shepherd featured in the last four dismissals, having Holder caught by wicket-keeper Shai Hope off a short delivery, Naveen-ul-Haq offering Sinclair his third catch of the innings at long-off while Theekshana (five) and Obed McKoy (0) were both run out going for impossible singles via the Hope/Shepherd combination.

Shepherd ended with three for 35 from his four overs while the consistent Ali took two for 24.