Hetmyer reflects on “bittersweet” century, GAW exit

The Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) were 20-2 when Shimron Hetmyer walked to the crease in Qualifier 2 of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) on Friday last at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.
Hetmyer went on to craft his record-second century of the season, slamming four fours and eight sixes for an unbeaten 102 off 48 balls. But in the end, it was not enough for the local franchise who went on to suffer a five-wicket loss to the Jamaica Kingsmen.
Reflecting on the game, Hetmyer was not afraid to give the Kingsmen credit for the manner in which they played.
Hetmyer told <<<Guyana Times Sport>>> exclusively, “I think it was just one of those games where you never know what could happen and it was just swinging both ways, to be honest. I think they had a brilliant start and also coming down, they just kept going with the run-rate. I think that was crucial in a chase like this one and kudos must go to them for the way they actually chased down the score tonight.”

The Berbician went on to highlight the power play as a crucial phase in the contest.
“I thought so, but playing in Barbados, for as long as I could remember, it’s always important in the power play,” he explained, “I think the power play is where most things happen. I think they actually won with just losing one wicket and I think they ended up with 80 odd or something like that in the power play. So, I think from there it was a little bit difficult to pull it back, but like I said, kudos must go to them – the way that they played.”
Hetmyer later admitted that there was still hope of pulling off a win in the final overs.
“To be honest, yeah. I still think that a couple dot balls, a wicket, you never know what could’ve happened,” the left-handed batter conceded.
Reflecting on his knock, on Friday night, Hetmyer could only describe it as bittersweet.
He shared candidly, “I think it’s up there, but not lifting the trophy at the end; it’s kind of a bittersweet feeling to be fair.”
The Guyanese batsman ended the CPL season as the second highest run-scorer overall with 367 runs from 12 innings. Barbados Tridents’ Quinton de Kock was the only batter to outscore Hetmyer with 392 runs in 11 innings. Jamaica Kingsmen’s Maaz Sadaqat rounded out the top three with 363 runs, also hitting two centuries.