GAW make it 5 in 5!

ꟷ Malik, King, Paul, Tahir star

The Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) produced a record-breaking effort, not only scoring their highest total in Hero Caribbean Premier League history, but making it five wins in as many matches. Jamaica Tallawahs are the latest victims suffering an 81-run defeat to the GAW.

With dew expected to play a factor in the latter part of the match, Tallawahs won the toss and asked GAW to bat first. In the second over of the match, that decision looked a good one for the hosts, Tallawahs, when Englishman Jade Dernbach rushed Chandrapaul Hemraj with a short ball and sent him into the dressing room for a golden duck.
At 5-1, fortunes changed as Brandon King introduced himself on home soil while Shimron Hetmyer played some outrageous shots at the other end. The dynamic duo ensured GAW reached 52-1 in the power play. After adding 69 runs for the second wicket, Hetmyer departed when Dwayne Smith, who got the ball to talk, shattered Hetmyer’s woodwork. Hetmyer scored a promising 44 from 25 balls which included six fours and two sixes.

Captain Malik began his innings with a bang, smashing Smith for four through point while the gracious King developed the habit of smashing consecutive sixes. King smoked Zair Khan for consecutive maximums in the 10th over as GAW moved on to 97-2 at the half-way stage. The elegant right-handed King reached his half-century in style, cross batting Smith into cow-corner and capping off the bowler’s spell with a six over long-off.

Tallawahs displayed some sloppy fielding, but the right bowling change at the right time got them the prized scalp of King, who was dismissed by Ramaal Lewis for 59 from 37 balls. King, who played an early pull and found Chadwick Walton at long-on, hit six maximums and four boundaries. Nicholas Pooran partnered his captain and the duo continued the brisk scoring.
Malik playing a special innings, watched Pooran hit two sixes in his 11-ball 20, but Andre Russell’s extra pace saw Pooran getting a top edge. At that point, Malik was motoring nicely, picking boundaries and maintaining a calm head. At 170-4 in 16.3 overs, Sherfane Rutherford came with the intention to light up the skies at Sabina Park with some big hits. On his second ball, his old Guyana Jaguars team-mate, Lewis dropped a skier.
Rutherford immediately made them pay, smashing Dernbach for consecutive sixes. His innings of 15 from six ended when he found Smith at fine leg. Captain Malik held the innings together and raced away to his fifty with a streaky boundary. Keemo Paul, who was dropped by Chris Gayle, hit one four but he scored only five.
Malik finished in finesse with a boundary to square leg as GAW ended on 218-6 in their 20 overs. Malik remained unbeaten on 67 from 37 balls as GAW posted their highest total in CPL history. Tallawahs bowlers leaked 45 runs in the last 18 balls; Dernbach and Russell had two wickets in the run-fest.
In reply, Tallawahs were pegged back by the GAW spinners, with the score at 40-2 in the power play. Imran Tahir began his run for the real estate with two big wickets, removing Gayle for seven and Walton for 15. Javelle Glen came and went for four while George Worker departed for a duck. During some brilliant bowling, only Glenn Phillips (40) and the aggressive Andre Russell (40) offered some resistance.
All hope went down when Paul took three wickets in one over; at 13.1 overs, Phillips departed; 13.3, Smith was out and at 13.5 overs, Lewis departed. The GAW looked a complete team and completed the win with ease, bowling out Tallawahs for 137.