Global Super League

Guyana Amazon Warriors rebounded from their first-night loss with an emphatic 66-run win over Central Stags in the fourth match of the Guyana Global Super League at Providence last night.

An 84-run third-wicket stand between Rahmanullah Gurbaz and teenager Jewel Andrew helped the Warriors to 158-6 before the 46-year-old Captain Imran Thair captured 4-23. Dwaine Pretorius took 3-18 and David Wiese had 2-14 to bowl out the team from New Zealand for 92 in 14.2 overs.

Central Stags invited the Warriors to bat on a slow track and a fast outfield.

Johnson Charles (8) dumped Ajaz Patel for six in the first over before Matthew Forde induced the right-handed St Lucian to edge a delivery that left him to the Keeper at 10-1.

Gurbaz got going with a straight six off Ford and belted Jayden Lennox for a massive six and swept him four off consecutive balls.

Moeen Ali (6) lofted Blair Tickner over cover for four, but the pacer had the last laugh when he plucked out Ali’s middle stump at 32-2.

Gurbaz lofted Patel for six and swept him for four as the Tassa drums rolled, and another large turnout despite the Warriors’ loss on Thursday night, danced in the stands.

Guyana scored 51 in the six power-play overs as Andrew and Gurbaz sprinted between the wickets, putting pressure on the Stags’ fielders.

Andrew clipped Josh Clarkson for consecutive boundaries to fine leg as the roar from the hyped up fans reached a crescendo.

The 50 partnership was posted from 36 balls as the pair of youngsters not only looked for boundary shots but also ran hard.

At the halfway stage, the hosts were 84-2 with the 23-year-old Gurbaz on 38 and the 18-year-old Andrew on 30.

Andrew from Antigua greeted Angus Schaw with a pugnacious six to motor into the 40s.

But when five short of his second T20 fitty, Andrew was run out at 116-3. His innings lasted 29 balls and included three fours and a six.

Gurbaz reached his 32^nd fifty in this format from 37 balls with two fours and two sixes and shared in an 84-run third wicket stand with Andrew.

Gurbaz was given lbw by Umpire Rayan Banwarie in his second match as Schaw made the breakthrough. His 58 from 47 balls with three fours and two sixes.  Gurbaz’s demise left the Warriors on 129-4.

With the score on 138, Shimron Hetmyer (12) suffered his second failure in as many matches when his impetuous shot off Schaw was taken in the deep.

Pretorius (12) fell to Ford at 156 before Rutherford, who got going with a brutal six off Ford, was unbeaten on 16 with him when the 20 overs expired, was David Wiese, on two.

Schaw had 2-24 and Ford 2-34.

Set 159 to win, Stags lost Dane Cleaver (6) as Pretorius struck at 6-1.

Dean Foxcroft (9) was bowled by Pretorius at 18-2 before Tom Bruce (1) was run out by a brilliant throw from the square leg boundary from Gudakesh Motie at 20-3 and when Skipper Imran bowled Josh Clarkson (0) behind his back three runs later, the crowd was delirious.

The Power-Play produced just 34 runs while William Clark (2) was lbw to Thair at 37-5 as Umpire Banwarie was again spot on.

Forde played a few shots in 25 with a four and two sixes before he walked across his and was bowled by David Wiese as Stags stuttered to 68-6

Opener Will Young was putting up a fight and pulled Shamar Springer for four to move into the 30s.

The evergreen Thair bowled Schaw (7) before trapping Ajaz Patel lbw for a duck at 80-8.

Pretorius bowled Lennox (1) at 86-9 before Young (26) fell to Wiese as the Warriors completed their first win

Nadia Batson (Soca) and Sonia Singh (Chutney) performed during the innings break.