The Guyana Amazon Warriors beat David Warner’s St Lucia Stars by three runs in a last over thriller.
In a low-scoring day-night match played in Providence, Stars used eight bowlers to keep the Amazons run rate at a fraction over seven runs to the over. Chadwick Walton (31) and New Zealand’s Luke Ronchi (42) got the Amazon’s innings off to a decent start but they struggled to raise the run rate. Afghanistan’s Qais Ahmad (4-0-15-3, econ 3.75) bowled 13 dot balls in a superb display of leg-break bowling as the Amazons only managed to post 141-4.
Eager to notch their first win of the campaign, the Stars started slowly with Andre Fletcher (14 off 19) and Warner (11 off 21) taking their time to get a feel for the wicket, but South Africa’s Imran Tahir trapped both leg-before within three balls of each other to reduce the Stars to 30-2.
Lendl Simmons (45 off 39, with five sixes) and Kieron Pollard (32 off 25) added 83 for the third wicket to take their side within a sniff of victory, but Rayad Emrit had both batsmen caught and followed that up by bowling Rahkeem Cornwall for three.
Ahmad and Mitchell McClenaghan both hit sixes in the closing overs but couldn’t take their side through to the win. The Amazon bowlers were fantastic in defending a small total, with Man of the Match Emrit taking 3-26 (econ 6.50), superbly backed up by Sohail Tanvir (0-19, econ 4.75, 14 dot balls) and Tahir (2-23, econ 5.75, with 16 dot balls).
Kavem Hodge from Dominica made his T20 debut for the Stars, producing creditable figures of 4-0-24-0 (econ 6.00).
In the night’s other match in Port of Spain, the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots earned their first win as the Trinbago Knight Riders suffered their second loss in three matches.
The Patriots were well-placed at 141-6 after 16 overs, but the arrival at the crease of Carlos Brathwaite changed the course of the innings. The all-rounder slammed 41 runs off 15 balls at a strike-rate of 273.33, clearing the ropes five times in a whirlwind innings which lifted the Patriots to 203-7 at a run rate of 10.15.
Devon Thomas’ 58 off 34 balls and Chris Gayle’s 35 off 30 offered the foundation for Brathwaite’s late assault on the Trinbago bowlers. Pick of the bowlers was Ali Khan with 3-23 (econ 5.75), as well as picking up a catch to remove Gayle.
In response, Trinbago could only muster 161-8, with Colin Munro (35 off 17), Darren Bravo (41 off 38) and Kevon Cooper (42 off 22) unable to match the Patriots’ total.
Brathwaite added to his claims for Man of the Match by taking 2-19 off his four overs (econ 4.75), but the match honour went to his teammate Thomas for his innings of 58, a decision which surprised many at the ground.
Nepal’s Sandeep Lamichhane was again excellent value for money, taking 1-17 in three overs (econ 5.66).
Photo: Randy Brooks – CPL T20/Getty Images
