3 in a row! Hetmyer, bowlers help Warriors qualify for playoffs

By Brandon Corlette

The Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) made it three wins in as many matches to qualify for the playoff rounds, completing a seven-wicket win against the St Lucia Zouks at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in the 2020 Hero Caribbean Premier League.

Led by a collective bowling effort, Warriors restricted the second-placed Zouks to 109-7 in 20 overs, while Shimron Hetmyer highlighted the chase with an unbeaten half-century as Warriors ended victorious on 110-3 in 13.5 overs.

Warriors contain Zouks on damp night
After a rain delay, the Warriors took the field first, and the familiar new-ball pair of Chris Green and Kevin Sinclair began proceedings. In Sinclair’s first over, he struck gold with the wicket of the Spiceman, Andre Fletcher.

At 8-1 in the second over, Fletcher scored one, and his wait to 2000 CPL runs continues.
Right-arm seamer Naveen-Ul-Haq, fresh from a “player of the match” performance, began his spell in style: with a wicket maiden and removing Leniko Boucher for one.
Rahkeem Cornwall, who deposited sixes off Sinclair and Green, was squared up by the probing Romario Shepherd as Zouks were reduced to 26-3. Naveen was instrumental again, completing a fine catch to see the back of Cornwall. The big-hitting Cornwall scored a 13-ball 21 which included two sixes and an equal number of boundaries.
Playing his first match of the season, Kaveem Hodge, who replaced the injured Roston Chase in the Zouks team, was joined by Najibullah Zadran. The duo took the score to 57-4 in 11.4 overs as Warriors kept the Zouks’ scoring rate in the balance.

After scoring a 22-ball 19, Zadran got a bottom edge to become Tahir’s first wicket in two matches.
The introduction of Keemo Paul saw the downfall of Hodge, who scored a 24-ball 13. Hodge, who expected more bounce from Paul, got a bottom edge, and became the second man to fall on 57. With half of the side back in the hut, Paul continued to probe, and got one to zip back into Darren Sammy, who was trapped in front at the crease for one.
Sammy, who continued to struggle in this CPL, batting at number seven, departed with his team at 59-6 after 13 overs.
Mohammad Nabi is the dangerous all-rounder who was struck twice for four, but Naveen got his senior Afghanistan team mate caught by the impressive Sinclair.
At 76-7 in 16.4 overs, a 33-run partnership between Javelle Glenn and Scott Kuggeleijn took the Zouks to 109-7 in 20 overs. The Jamaican Glenn top-scored with 23 for the Zouks.

The damp conditions proved challenging to an extent to the Warriors’ seamers in the latter part, but at the half-way stage, the Warriors were confident of gunning down this total.

Hetmyer highlights chase
In a small chase, the Warriors lost Brandon King early for five. The adventurous King was bowled all ends up by Kiwi pacer Kuggeleijn at 19-1. On the other end, the returning Chandrapaul Hemraj looked comfortable at the crease, playing some delightful shots as he and Hetmyer pushed the Warriors past 50.
Hemraj’s innings concluded when he was bowled as the ball took the inside edge and ricocheted on the stumps. This came off the bowling of veteran off-spinner Nabi. The left-handed Hemraj struck two sixes and one four in his 25-ball 26.
Warriors were 58-2 in 8.5 overs. Hetmyer came and lit up the Brian Lara Stadium, tearing apart seamer Chemar Holder in a 24-run over. Hetmyer began with two sixes and followed up with three fours, displayng shots off the back-foot and the front-foot.

On air, Hetmyer was described by Ian Bishop as an investment that’s worth it.
Warriors continued to cruise in finesse on their journey to qualify in pursuit of 110. Hetmyer reached his third fifty of the season with a sweet boundary along the ground, while the in-form Nicholas Pooran struck two crisp boundaries but switch- hit one down Boucher’s throat at deep point to make it 98-3 in 12.2 overs.
Hetmyer and Ross Taylor ensured the Warriors ended with a comfortable win. The leftie Hetmyer ended unbeaten on 56 from 36 balls, which was decorated with six fours and three sixes.

The Warriors will lock horns with the Tridents, today September 3, at the same Brian Lara Cricket Academy from 17:30h.