Amazon Warriors battle mighty Royals in crucial match today

By Brandon Corlette

The Guyana Amazon Warriors will battle the table leaders Barbados Royals in a crucial encounter today, Sunday September 18, from 10:00h at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago, in match 22 of the 2022 Hero Caribbean Premier League.
Warriors are sitting at the bottom of the table, having recorded only one win to date, while the Royals have recorded six wins and have suffered only one defeat.
Kyle Mayers (286 runs) has been in sublime form for the Royals, while the South African trio of Quinton de Kock (221 runs), Corbin Bosch (186 runs) and David Miller (166 runs) have been dangerous with the bat.
For the Warriors, Shimron Hetmyer with 137 runs and Heinrich Klaasen with 112 runs are the two Warriors batsmen with more than 100 runs in this season thus far.
In the Royals’ bowling department, West Indies pros Obed McCoy and Jason Holder have claimed 11 wickets each in the season thus far.

Tabriz Shamsi has taken eight wickets for the Warriors, while Shepherd has taken six scalps.
Veteran cricket commentator Joseph “Reds” Perreira, in a comment invited from this publication, has noted that Hetmyer must learn from other captains in the ongoing CPL.
“Hetmyer must look at the other captains and see the kind of role they are playing, and ensure that they limit their dangerous shots and bat as many overs as possible. When you look at Miller and Powell, that is the responsibility of a captain,” Reds explained.
He further disclosed that the Warriors’ batting owes the bowlers an apology, after that defeat against TKR. “The batting owes the Amazon Warriors bowlers an apology. They silenced the massive TKR crowd. The sea of red had very little to cheer for, but the batting never seemed to have the discipline to come to terms in what could have been a major win,” Reds added.

The veteran cricket commentator said: “I think most of the batsmen threw their hands away. (Chandrapaul) Hemraj had a start, and needed to capitalise. He was ahead of the game. Many of his dismissals have been because of picking up the wrong line and length. I would not want to see a similar shot again by Keemo Paul, it was something he would want to forget, and Odean Smith was not far away. Going forward, I would like to see (Jermaine) Blackwood in the team, I don’t think Ingram is the right number three.”
Based on reports, Afghanistan’s wicket-keeper/batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz will join the Amazon Warriors camp soon, as a replacement player, as would be Shakib Al Hassan. Barbados Royals squad: Jason Holder, Obed McCoy, Kyle Mayers, Hayden Walsh Jnr, Devon Thomas, Oshane Thomas, Nyeem Young, Quinton de Kock, David Miller, Harry Tector (temporary replacement for Mujeeb ur Rahman), Azam Khan, Corbin Bosch, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Bishop, Justin Greaves, Teddy Bishop, Ramon Simmonds.
Guyana Amazon Warriors squad: Shimron Hetymer, Odean Smith, Romario Shepherd, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Keemo Paul, Gudakesh Motie, Imran Tahir, Tabraiz Shamsi, Colin Ingram, Paul Stirling, Heinrich Klaasen, Shai Hope, Jermaine Blackwood, Veerasammy Permaul, Ronsford Beaton, Matthew Nandu, Junior Sinclair.