RBL CPL 2023: Guyana Amazon Warriors dominate St Kitts and Nevis Patriots

By Brandon Corlette

The dominant Guyana Amazon Warriors are so far unbeaten in the 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League, having registered their third win of the season: a 98-run win against the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, thanks to a complete team effort.
Having posted 186-6 in their 20 overs, the Warriors restricted Patriots to 88 all out in 17.1 overs. They began the defence of their score
in style, picking up four wickets inside the power play. Patriots were reeling at 43-4 after Dwaine Pretorius had blown away their top-order with his right-arm seam.
Andre Fletcher was the first to go, dismissed for 11 with the score at 15-1; and thereafter, the Patriots’ top order slid down the proverbial drain.
Romario Shepherd sent back Evin Lewis for seven, and Sherfane Rutherford survived only two balls, to record two runs before being caught at first slip by Shai Hope off the bowling of Dwaine Pretorius.
The Warriors’ bowlers were disciplined, and the fielders backed them up well. Gudakesh Motie was at his mesmerizing best as he harvested two Patriots’ wickets for a miserly 15 runs from his four overs, while South African Dwaine Pretorius ended with 3-17 in his “player of the match” effort, as Warriors bundled out Patriots for 88 in 17.1 overs.
Having played seven matches, the Patriots are yet to win a single game.
Earlier, Guyana Amazon Warriors were asked to bat first, after the Patriots had won the toss. Warriors fielded an unchanged side, while Patriots made five changes, including Sherfane Rutherford, who was in the team, but not as captain.
Under glorious sunshine, Warriors had a fiery start, with Saim Ayub scoring a boundary with the first ball of the match. He looked promising, but gifted his wicket for 21 when Warriors were at 32-1 after 3.2 overs.
Hazratullah Zazai continued his lean form with the bat, being caught at the wicket for seven, and Azam Khan soaked up 11 balls before striking one six, as Warriors slumped to 52-3 in 6.3 overs. Shai Hope played some classy shots, and when he departed for 13 on his home turf, Shimron Hetmyer entered the fray.
The 3Ws Stand at Kensington Oval was flooded with Guyanese, especially Berbicians, who had come to see Hetty in action. They gave the man a warm welcome, and he did not disappoint the fans with his aggressive hitting. Joined at the crease by his countryman Keemo Paul, the Guyanese duo contributed 57 runs from 39 balls to revive the Warriors’ innings from 54-4 to 111-5 in 13.4 overs. The southpaw Hetmyer struck 36 runs from 22 balls in an innings laced with three sixes and one four. He was, however, caught by Dominic Drakes as he attempted to pull one out of the ground.
Warriors were seeking a big finish, and Paul, continuing his form with the bat, produced a top-scorer’s innings of 41 runs from 31 balls, laced with three sixes and one four.
Dwaine Pretorius made 20, but the burly Berbician bully Romario Shepherd was again on a mission, slamming 26 from seven balls in a brutal unbeaten innings that featured three huge sixes and one four.
Warriors ended up scoring 71 runs in their last five overs of dominance, by which they were facilitated to end their innings with a strong total of 186-6 in 20 overs.
Oshane Thomas was the pick of the Patriots’ bowlers with 3-26 in three overs, in which he extracted serious pace and bounce.
Warriors will be in action again on Tuesday September 5, against Trinbago Knight Riders at Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad.