Hero CPL: Amazon Warriors’ top order carves pathway for success

– Hemraj, Hetmyer ignite Providence

By Brandon Corlette

A brilliant batting effort by the Guyana Amazon Warriors ensured an 8-wicket win over the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots at the Guyana National Stadium on Saturday evening. Sealed with a Shimron Hetmyer maximum off Rayad Emrit, GAW rallied along with to complete a chase of 154 with seven balls to spare.

Patriots’ slow start
Having won the toss, Captain Shoaib Malik elected to field first. Chris Green began proceedings from the players Pavilion end with a tidy over of three runs but an eventful Keemo Paul second over followed which saw 16 runs yielded. Paul removed Kjorn Ottley off a no ball and that proved costly after Paul bowled a second no ball that saw Ottley capitalizing with boundaries.
Keeping things tight at the other end was Green, Ottley was out via the run out route after scoring 15; he and his opening partner Evin Lewis were involved in a miscommunication. The spin trend continued from both ends as Shadab Khan was introduced and gave noting away from the inception. Lewis got into his grove with a six off Green but he failed to replicate that against Khan.
He was out caught by Paul after a top-edge slog sweep for nine from fifteen balls. At the end of the Power play, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots were 31-2; post that period, it was Devon Thomas and the professor, Mohammad Hafeez who added 54 runs together.
The duo was cautious in their approach as GAW displayed some disciplined bowling despite some fielding errors. After Hafeez was dropped at the end of over number nine by Sherfane Rutherford, the half-way stage saw the Patriots crawling at 61-2. The duo added 54 runs together before the supportive Hafeez (18) held out to long-off to give the leg-spinner Khan his second wicket.
Despite being expensive, Paul got a consolation wicket; that of Carlos Brathwaite in the 15th over. Bowling a short ball, Brathwaite was hurried up by Paul’s pace and departed for a second ball duck which pushed the score to 85-4.

Thomas, Allen hits the gas after Khan’s brilliance
Devon Thomas played his career best innings in T20 cricket while Fabian Allen continued to show his prowess in T20 cricket. Thomas in fearless fashion hit consecutive sixes off Khan to reach his half-century in the 16th over but Khan, who gave away 16 runs in his final over, still had a good night with the ball, ending with 2-20 in four overs.
After a quick 38-run partnership between Thomas and Allen, a brilliant running catch by Khan ended the promising partnership. Thomas departed after Green’s brilliant bowling, for a well-constructed 62 from 49 balls which was interiorized with seven fours and two maximums.
Shepherd in his final over was welcomed with a beautiful six over extra cover off the willow of Allen in his second ball; the big Berbician speedster, Shepherd won the battle with the wicket of Jason Mohamed (04). The score then was 135-6 in the penultimate over.
Not quite dominated in the death overs, Ben Laughlin bowling leaked 17 runs in the final over but accounted for two wickets. He removed Allen who smashed 33 from 19 balls including two fours and two sixes and Usama Mir was out for a duck in the second ball of the final over.
Alzarri Joseph made quite a statement at the biggest part in sport, smashing a six and a four off the final two balls to propel Patriots to 153-8.

Hemraj, King on a mission
The GAW openers came out on a mission; Chandrapual Hemraj and Brandon King took the Patriots bowlers to the cleaners adding 55 runs in the first Power play in pursuit of the 154-run target.
Hemraj entertained the local supporters smashing the leg-spinner Mir for 18 runs in the sixth over. The delightful King who got off the mark with a boundary on the first ball of the innings, for the second time in as many matches was equally brilliant in his stroke play.
It took something special to get rid of the dashing Hemraj when Allen pulled off a blinder at point. The left-hander departed for 39 from 24 balls.
With the score on 63-1 in 6.5 overs, Shimron Hetmyer came with the intention to entertain as did Hemraj. The West Indies player who hails from Berbice took three boundaries in his first ten balls as GAW reached raced to 82-1 in 10 overs, well on track for the win with 72 runs to accumulate in the final 10 overs.
Hetmyer’s fireworks
At the end of 12 overs the first salute came on show, Sheldon Cottrell removed Brandon King for a 22-ball 27 after he guided one to short third man. Hetmyer who looked assured than ever in his off-side play, took 16 off three consecutive balls in a Joseph over and reached his third CPL half-century with a single off Brathwaite. At that stage of the innings, Hetmyer stroked seven classy fours and a consolation six.
He continued his fireworks while Captain Malik showed his elegance and class as the dynamic duo added a half-century to ensure the GAW registered an easy win. Hetmyer ended on an unbeaten 70 while Malik ended on a supportive 23.
Hetmyer was adjudged player-of the match for his entertaining knock.
With this win, GAW have moved on to four points and are tied with Trinbago Knight Riders at the top of the league after two matches.
Today, the Amazon Warriors face the Barbados Tridents at the same venue from 17:00 hrs.