Smith, Maddinson lead Warriors to play-offs after historic victory

BY JOHN RAMSINGH in Lauderhill Florida

The long awaited debut of the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) in the United States of America (USA) happened on Thursday when the Guyana Amazon Warriors defeated the Barbados Tridents by six wickets with 10 balls to spare in a true Caribbean-style atmosphere at the Central Broward County Recreational Park in Lauderhill Florida.
Led by powerful half centuries from Man of the Match Dwayne Smith and fellow opening batsman Nic Maddinson the Amazon Warriors chased down 142 set by the Tridents to win the first ever CPL match to be played out of the Caribbean and with it became the second team to qualify for the play-offs after the Jamaica Tallawahs. The Warriors now have 12 points from six victories and remain in strong contention to finish in the top two heading to St. Kitts.
The Americans and those who made the trip from various parts of the Caribbean thoroughly enjoyed the biggest party in sport despite the humid conditions. Although the crowd was mainly supporting the Guyana Amazon Warriors, it was clear that CPL was the big winner with the spectators celebrating every moment from the singing of the national anthem of the United States of America to begin the match to the winning run off the bat of Sohail Tanvir.
Smith and Maddinson added 92 for the first wicket to knock the wind out of the sail of the Tridents. Smith was especially severe on his former team mates and raised his half century from 32 balls with five fours and three sixes while Maddison got to his landmark off 39 balls. Smith, who played with the Tridents in the previous years, was first to go. When on 50 he hit Raymon Reifer to long on at 92/1 in the 11th over after making his third half century of the season. Maddinson, in his second match followed at 112/2 in the 14th over. The Warriors stumbled briefly but Chris Barnwell and Tanvir saw their team home safely and into the next stage.
Raymon Reifer had two wickets while Imran Khan and Pollard had one each.
For the important game 25, the Guyana Amazon Warriors brought back Christopher Barnwell and Steven Jacobs for Orlando Peters and Shimron Hetmyer from the last match which ended in defeat against the St. Lucia Zouks while the Tridents also made two changes with Akeal Hosein and Raymon Reifer came in for Navin Stewart and Shamar Springer.
After being sent in, the Tridents were never allowed to open and were eventually limited to 142/7 from their 20 overs. Their innings was held together by Shoaib Mailk who came in at number four with the score on 49/2 in the seventh over. Malik hit Sohail Tanivr over midwicket for his second six off the last ball of the Tridents’ innings to raise his half. In all Mailk faced 44 balls and also hit three fours. The Pakistani also featured in a 48-run partnership for the third wicket with David Wiese, the best of the innings in just six overs and two balls. Wiese made 40 from 31 balls with three fours and one six with no other batsman getting a measure of the track that was full of dry grass and played a bit on the slow side. The Warriors bowling was steady as well on the small but fast outfield with a little for both the seamers and spinners.
Captain Rayad Emrit led the Warriors bowling with 2-24 from four overs while CPL’s leading wicket taker, Tanvir added two wickets to the 16 he had before this match. One of his two scalps included the first wicket of the innings when he had Ahmed Shehzad caught at first slip by Dwayne Smith for 15 at 19/1 at the end of the second over.
Emrit employed seven bowlers in all with Adam Zampa, Steven Jacobs and Barnwell all picking up one wicket while Veerasammy Permaul was guilty of bowling too shot and went wicket-less for 22 from three overs.
The teams will next meet on Saturday July 30 at the same venue when the Tridents, on seven points and facing first round elimination will be looking for two points for an outside chance to get in to the play-offs but it will depend on the Tallawahs stopping the Zouks in both matches and the Patriots doing the same to the Knight Riders.
According to Head Coach of the victorious Guyana Amazon Warriors, Roger Harper now that his team has confirmed their place in the play-offs the next step is to finish in either first or second on the points table but the Warriors are taking it one game at a time.
The tournament continues this evening in Florida with defending champions Trinbago Knight Riders on eight points in third position but not exactly comfortable taking on St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots who is the only team to be eliminated so far. The first ball also at Lauderhill is at 19:00h.