Republic Bank CPL: GAW advances to playoffs after whipping Antigua Falcons in another low-scoring thriller

This has been the second consecutive night that the Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) have remarkably been able to defend 130 runs as they extend their winning streak at home in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (RBLCPL).
Despite their Saturday night tally being two runs less than that of the previous night, the 2023 defending champions produced another stellar bowling performance to defeat the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons by 27 runs.
For the umpteenth time this season, the Guyana Amazon Warriors have experimented with their opening pair, shockingly swapping Friday night’s combination of Tim Robinson and Kevin Sinclair for Azam Khan and Raymon Reifer.
In a slow start for the Warriors, just two runs were scored from the first three overs, the first of which was a maiden. However, the fourth rotation looked promising, as Azam Khan appeared to finally be able to free his arms and get some runs. Shockingly, the experiment failed not long after, as Reifer skied a Mohamed Amir delivery, only to see it being gobbled up by Hayden Walsh Jr on the edge of the circle.

Another twist in the tale of the Warriors saw Gudakesh Motie approaching the middle as the number 3 batsman. The shuffle failed terribly, resulting in 3 wickets being lost for 48 runs, and Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer finding themselves at the crease.
The Berbician again showed signs of good form as he smashed Hassan Khan for a pair of sixes in the 10th over, but Hayden Walsh Jr proved to be his undoing in the very next over.
What Hetmyer’s departure for 13 runs scored off four balls managed to accomplish was an indication to the Warriors that they needed to up the ante, as, with a steadily rising run-rate and the big shots still difficult to come by, an undercurrent of frustration was beginning to develop.
To add to their woes, the wickets continued to fall at regular intervals in their quest to reverse the situation; and Romario Shepherd making his way to the crease brought hopeful anticipation to the thousands of Guyanese fans occupying the stands, as they recalled his late blitz of the previous night. His heroics were not to be on Saturday night though, as he powered the ball into the stand only once, for a lone maximum in his 10 runs from 6 balls.

Moeen Ali was the power-hitter the Warriors needed but didn’t expect. He had the Guyanese fans on their feet for almost the entire 19th over as he blasted 26 runs off Imad Wasim’s bowling to rearrange the equation to 42 runs needed from 33 deliveries.
The 20th over was quieter, but Keemo Paul acquired 11 runs that got the Warriors to 135-7 in their quota.
Hope persisted to excite the Guyanese crowd because, after all, the Warriors were able to defend 137 on the previous night to win by a whopping 30 runs. But the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons were also fighting tooth and nail to reserve a berth in the playoff qualification, and an interesting second innings awaited.
In sticking to their experiment with interesting changes, the Amazon Warriors handed Gudakesh Motie the ball for the first over. As expected, it was a quiet one with just three runs conceded, but when the Berbician returned for his second over, the breakthrough finally came.

First it was Justin Greaves departing for 5 runs, then in the following over, it was Brandon King walking back to the dugout for 3, having been caught off the bowling of Dwaine Pretorius; and although the Falcons’ scorecard kept ticking, the Warriors were also gradually chipping away at the wickets.
Ali was superb in the middle overs, beginning his spell in the 9th over and bowling 4 on the trot. By the time the 15th over had ended, Ali had stellar figures of 3 for 9 from 4 overs. By then the defending champions needed only three more scalps to seal the deal, while a big over was just what the Falcons needed. And their wish came true in the 17th over when Joshua James smashed Tahir for 2 fours and a six to eventually accumulate 17 runs. However, his attempts at power-hitting did not translate well against Shamar Joseph’s bowling, and his stumps were shattered with the second ball of the 18th over.
Pretorius eventually finished off the contest by claiming the remaining two wickets in the 19th to rout the Falcons for 108 in 18.5 overs.
While the Falcons’ campaign has come to an end, the defending champions will be back in action on Wednesday, September 25th, when they take on the Barbados Royals in what promises to be an entertaining clash.