DESPITE a 74-run second-wicket stand between Moin Ali and Shai Hope, the Guyana Amazon Warriors lost to Australia’s Victoria by four wickets under lights in the ExxonMobil Guyana Global T20 Super League.
Ali’s entertaining 51 lasted 33 balls, and was decorated with three fours and four sixes, while Hope scored 40 from 30 balls, with four fours and a six.
Hassan Khan hit a cameo unbeaten 25 from 12 balls with three sixes, while Shimron Hetmyer hit a six and a four in 18, with Victoria’s Jackson Smith on 2-38.
The winners registered 166-6 in 19.2 overs.

Man-of-the-Match Karima Gore was unbeaten on 31 from 24 balls, ending the contest with his third four. He also cleared the ropes once.
Scott Edwards’ 31 with four fours, and Sanjay Krishnamurthi’s 24 with one four and two sixes contributed crucial runs for the Aussies. Imran Tahir had two wickets in a losing effort.

Watched by a good-sized crowd, which included President Irfaan AIi from the TV booth, Victoria invited the hosts to bat on another slow track and fast outfield.
The Warriors, who replaced Trinidadian Mark Dyal with West Indies all-rounder Romario Shepherd, started auspiciously as Ali stroked Gore nonchalantly over cover for four in the first over, before Roston Chase elegantly eased left-arm pacer Drakes for a couple of boundaries in the next over.
However, Jackson Smith bowled Chase for a run-a-ball 10, to leave the Warriors on 17-1.

Ali effortlessly punched Drakes to the cover boundary, while West Indies ODI Captain Hope got going with back-to-back fours, as Smith bowled too full.
Ali was on fire, caressing Max Birthise for four, and following up with a disdainful six over mid-wicket to post the 50 from just 35 balls, much to the delight of the raucous crowd.
Ali hit left-arm wrist spinner Callum Stow for two sixes, before he was dropped on 39.

Smith put down Hope on the boundary after not being in full control of what would have been a stupendous catch, with Hope on 19, and the score on 71-1
Ali soon reached his 35th T20 fifty from 33 balls with three fours and four sixes, before he bowled next ball at 91-2 to end the partnership.
Hetymer got going with a six off Drakes as the 100 was posted in 73 balls.

Hope clobbered Cory Anderson for six before being caught in the deep off the next ball with the Warriors on 116-3.
A run later, Kemo Paul (0) was taken at long-on to give Slow his first wicket, before Hetmyer fell to Drakes at 125-5 in the 17th wicket.
Khan deposited Birthisel for six, and disdainfully hit Smith for consecutive sixes; the second one brought up 150 in the penultimate over.
Shepherd fell to Birthisel for 10 in the last over, which cost just six runs.

Joe Clarke began the run-chase with boundaries off Dwaine Pretorius, who had a 4-for in the opening game, but Gudakesh Motie struck with the total on 27 when he trapped Blake Macdonald (6) lbw.
Without addition to the score, Clarke was lbw to Khan, who smashed four boundaries in his 17.

Krishnamurthi and Jonathan Wells batted with lots of intent, and saw the 50 posted in 46 balls, but just when the partnership was beginning to look ominous, Tahir struck twice in quick succession.
The 45-year-old South African spin wizard trapped the 21-year-old Krishnamurthi (24) and Jonathan Wells (13) lbw in the space of a run, as Victoria slipped 69-4.
Anderson (9) was run out after Edwards was caught by Paul off a free from Ali, going for a second run at 96-5 before Edwards (31) was removed, bowled by Tanzim Hasan Sakib at 123-6.
Aided by loose work in the field and a wide in the final over from Pretorius, Gore (36) and Drakes (14) saw their team to victory with two balls to spare.