Auguste blitz helps Kings defend home turf against Warriors

Following a rained-out encounter on Sunday, a high-scoring thriller took St Lucia by storm on Tuesday night when week three of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2025 bowled off.

A recovery of epic proportions, spearheaded by Romario Shepherd’s prowess, got the Amazon Warriors up to their 200+ run score.
After winning the toss and opting to bat first, the visitors at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground found themselves in hot water, reeling at 78-5 in 13 overs.
Their collapse came swiftly, in the space of just our overs, after Ben McDermott and Kevlon Anderson put on a 36-run first-wicket partnership.
McDermott departed first for 30 off 18, attempting a big shot off Keon Gaston’s bowling, to a catch which required a juggle before nestling safely in Tim David’s hands. In contrast, Anderson had only accumulated five runs by that time and fell two balls later, sealing a double strike for the young St Lucian pacer.
Moeen Ali fell for a three-ball duck and when Shimron Hetmyer was found short of his ground for just three, the CPL defending champions were all but smiling in the field.

Shai Hope’s resistance was short-lived, becoming the fifth Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) batter to perish, but he made way for a scintillating 102-run partnership between Iftikhar Ahmed and Shepherd.
In an innings that was later dedicated to his son, Romauldo, for his birthday, Shepherd slammed five fours and seven sixes in an unbeaten 73 off 34 balls, a strike rate in excess of 214.
As Shepherd lit up the Daren Sammy ground, Ahmed was content with playing the supporting role, putting together 33 off 27 balls. Dwaine Pretorius later kept the momentum going with two fours and a six, propelling the Amazon Warriors to 202-6.
In response, the Kings constructed their best powerplay score in the franchise’s history, getting to 86-1 in just six overs, compared to the Amazon Warriors’ 44-3 at a similar stage. So, the visitors’ bowling needed something special to shift the scales.
For a moment, the Amazon Warriors’ solace came from Captain Imran Tahir, who baited Tim Seifert with a wide-ish delivery, which he sent flying to the boundary, only for r Ahmed to claim a comfortable, running catch.
In spite of Seifert’s departure for 37, Ackeem Auguste kept the fire going slamming a 19-ball half-century. Gudakesh Motie and Jediah Blades later accounted for Roston Chase (13) and Auguste (73), but David’s hard-hitting stature at the crease was still a cause for worry for the visitors.
David raced to a brisk 25 off 15 before becoming Motie’s second victim of the night. However, lacklustre efforts in the field kept the Kings out of reach of the Warriors’ stifling grasp.
Kings’ Captain David Wiese was out in the middle to guide his team home, finding the boundary when the CPL defending champions needed only four runs from 12 balls. As such, the Kings got to 203-6 in 18.1 overs.
Motie claimed 2-32 from four overs while Blades picked up 2-35 from 3.1 overs.
The Republic Bank CPL action continues today, Wednesday, August 27 with a clash between the Trinbago Knight Riders and Antigua and Barbuda Falcons as CPL action moves to the twin-island republic.