The Guyana Amazon Warriors spirited bid for a fourth Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) final ended when they went down to Trinbago Knight Riders by six wickets at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba in the second eliminator.
The home team got to 160-4 from 18 overs to end the Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) unbeaten streak of five to a halt. Man of the Match, Colin Munro rode his luck to finish unbeaten on 57 from 51 balls with seven fours. The TKR opener was dropped twice before carrying his bat and his team to another final. When on 13 in the second over of the run chase Munro offered a simple catch to Roshon Primus at mid-off after hitting Steven Jacobs for three consecutive boundaries. He was
TAROUBA, TRINIDAD – SEPTEMBER 07: In this handout image provided by CPL T20, of Trinbago Knight Riders Chadwick Walton (F) of Guyana Amazon Warriors hits pass Denesh Ramdin (B) of Trinbago Knight Riders during Eliminator 2 of the 2017 Hero Caribbean Premier League between Trinbago Knight Riders and Guyana Amazon Warriors at Brian Lara Cricket Academy on September 07, 2017 in Tarouba, Trinidad. (Photo by Randy Brooks – CPL T20 via Getty Images)
once again given a life on 19 when GAW captain Rayad Emrit spilled one at 28-1.
Despite losing Sunil Narine first ball and Hamza Tariq in his first match this year by the fifth over Munro kept going and found a good partner in Darren Bravo to take the match away from the Amazon Warriors. The pair of lefthanders added 85 before Bravo holed out to long on in the 14th over at 118-3. It was Permaul’s first over of the match and the wicket came too late with just 42 more runs needed for TKR to book their right to play St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots in Saturday’s final. Captain Dwayne Bravo was stumped shortly after but Denish Ramdin’s cameo ensured there were no late drama.
The GAW bowlers were not backed up sufficiently by their fielders with Rashid Khan being the most threatening of the six bowlers used.
Earlier, Singh and Primus helped the GAW to a respectable 159-6 after they were reduced to 92-4. They joined forces in the 15th over when Jason Mohammed was snapped up at extra cover off Searles. The pair then took charge of the GAW innings with some savage hitting and purposeful running.
Singh who started cautiously eventually hit three maximums and a four from his 25 delivers while Primus who batted to the end hit four fours and a six from the 18 balls he faced.
Narine who got the initial breakthrough finished with 2-21 from his quota of four overs while Beaton who dismissed Singh and Assad Fudadin off consecutive deliveries in the final over was expensive for his two scalps.
The match started in beautiful weather in front of a sea of red when the GAW were sent in by DJ Bravo. The three-time finalist were kept quiet with steady bowling from TKR with nice support from the fielders. Their inform batsmen Chadwick Walton and Luke Ronchi were not allowed to free their arm like they were doing and at the end of the Power Play they were 33-1 with Tanveer in the hut already.
Just before the mid-point of the innings, Ronchi lost his leg stump and the Warriors were 67-2 after 10 overs. The visitors were suddenly in a spot of bother when Walton was smartly stumped after clearing the ropes three times and Jason Mohammed pushed a slower ball in the air for Yasir Shah, on debut, to take a dolly.
Thanks to Singh and Primus the Guyana Amazon Warriors rattled up 92 from the second 10 overs in compiling 159-6 which was not enough to silence the crowd and earn the GAW a place in their fourth final in the five-year history of CPL.
The Brian Lara stadium will see new champions being crowned after Jamaica Tallawahs were eliminated by the Guyana Amazon Warriors in eliminator one on Wednesday. The St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots who beat TKR in the first qualifier will be looking to captain Chris Gayle who is yet to lose a CPL final to take them to a maiden title while TKR will be hinting their second silverware.
