Home Sports King’s masterful century in vain as Amazon Warriors win crucial match 25...
By Brandon Corlette
A brilliant century from Brandon King went in vain as Guyana Amazon Warriors won by 12 runs in match 25 of the 2022 Hero Caribbean Premier League at Providence. King’s royal innings of 104 failed to take Tallawahs across the line, as they ended on 166 all out in 19.5 overs, responding to Warriors’ 178-8 in 20 overs.
In the chase, Tallawahs had a good start, scoring 45-1 in the powerplay. They had lost Kennar Lewis, who made 13. He was trapped by the skillful Imran Tahir at 23-1. Kirk McKenzie then ran himself out for 15 and Tahir then got the big fish of Rovman Powell (04) at 58-3 in 10.1 overs. 
The Warriors kept things tight but Brandon King was standing tall. He and Raymon Reifer took the score to 84-3 in 12 overs, and at that stage, Warriors were 77-4. The Royal Jamaican, King reached his 50 from 38 balls with a six off the Shakib.
Tallawahs 100 came up in the 14th over compliments of King, who was dealing in boundaries against Odean Smith. Reifer who was a spectator in the partnership of 54 from 24 balls, made only six from seven balls. He was dismissed by Smith caught at short mid-wicket by Junior Sinclair at 112-4. Fabian Allen stayed briefly at the crease, scoring only one, to give Shakib his only wicket of the night.
The rain came with Jamaica on 131-6 in 17 overs.In the final two overs, Tallawahs required 31, and Motie was tasked to bowl the penultimate over. He removed Imad Wasim to give Warriors hope. Odean King reached his century in style, but he was run out, failing to take his team across the line. He made 104 from 66 balls, an innings that included seven sixes and eight fours. Tahir had 2-17 to be the pick of the bowlers, while Odean Smith successfully defended 20 in the final over.
Earlier, the Warriors had included Shakib Al Hassan, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Gudakesh Motie and Shai Hope in the team. Hemraj got Providence roaring when he struck a fine boundary off Mohammad Amir in the first over. Chris Green got immediate success, removing the debutant Gurbaz for a golden duck, edging one behind at 8-1. 
Chandrapaul Hemraj showed promise but he made a run-a-ball 13, departing at 34-2 after four overs. The golden boy, Shakib also departed for a golden duck, trapped at the crease by Imad Wasim. Captain Shimron Hetmyer and Shai Hope attempted to rebuild the innings, adding 28 runs. Hetmyer who made 11 from 18 balls, was trapped by the off-spinner Mohammad Nabi at 62-4 in 10 overs.
Hope danced down the track with elegance, hitting sixes off the spinners, and driving boundaries with grace. He stood tall, and entertained the almost-packed Providence. He reached his half-century from 36 balls, hitting four boundaries and two sixes at that stage. The Barbadian showed great improvement with his strike-rate, respecting the good balls and thumping the bad balls.
A furious Romario Shepherd (09) was caught by the juggling Rovman Powell at long-on and Warriors slipped to 87-5 in 13.4 overs. Hope eventually played across the line to a Nabi-ball that kept low, and his solid innings ended after he faced 45 balls and scoring 60. His innings was decorated with four boundaries and three sixes. 
At 97-6 in 15.1 overs, Warriors were in need of a strong finish. Gudakesh Motie who was promoted to counter the left-arm spin on offer, made only two. He was trapped by the veteran Nabi. Odean Smith partnered Paul and the duo added the finishing touch. Smith damaged Miguel Pretorius hitting him for five sixes in the 18th over. That over included five sixes and one wide.
Keemo Paul then took 24 runs off Mohammad Amir with some clean ball-striking and Warriros had surpassed the par-score of 141 at Providence. Paul who showed versatility hitting the ball to all parts, struck the Tallawahs leading wicket-taker for two sixes and two fours. 
Paul and Smith added 74 from 35 balls in a game-chaning partnership that took Warriors to 178-8 in 20 overs. Smith was looking for another six, but he was bowled by Powell for a 16-ball 42. His innings had six maximums, while Paul ended on 24 from 12 balls. Junior Sinclair struck the final ball for a six, as Tallawahs yielded 81 runs from the final five overs.
Nabi had 3-12 from two overs, while Green had 2-24 from his quota. The CPL will continue on Thursday at Providence with Trinbago Knight Riders battling St Kiitts and Nevis Patriots from 10:00h, while Warriors wil battle St Lucia Kings from 19:00h.
