Guyana Amazon Warriors, defending champions of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL), put in a swaggering performance to claim three wins in three games to sit at the head of the standings after 10 games of this year’s tournament.
Their opponents, St. Lucia Kings, suffered their first loss of the 2024 tournament on what for them was a chastening night at the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground in Gros Islet. A thumping six-wicket win with 10 overs to spare was a real statement of intent from the Warriors.
Imran Tahir won the toss and elected to insert the Kings. The defending champions put in another impressive performance with the ball, Tahir claiming 3-29 and Player-of-the-Match Gudakesh Motie taking 3-16 as the Kings failed to recover from a PowerPlay that saw them reduced to 43-4.
Gudakesh Motie of Guyana Amazon Warriors collects his Man-of-the-Match award after the Men’s 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League match between St Lucia Kings and Guyana Amazon Warriors at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium on September 07, 2024 in Gros Islet, Saint Lucia. (Photo by Ashley Allen – CPL T20/CPL T20 via Getty Images)
Some lower-order striking from Matthew Forde managed to haul the Kings to three figures exactly, but the Warriors made extremely short work of the target.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz lit up the St. Lucia sky with sixes as he struck 47 runs off just 19 balls that included not a single four, but saw seven sixes clear the ropes.
Gurbaz eventually fell with just nine more runs needed for victory, pinned lbw by Noor Ahmad attempting a reverse-sweep that would have brought him a rapid fifty.
Dwaine Pretorius of Guyana Amazon Warriors celebrates with teammates after getting the wicket of Faf du Plessis of St Lucia Kings during the Men’s 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League match between St Lucia Kings and Guyana Amazon Warriors at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium on September 07, 2024 in Gros Islet, Saint Lucia. (Photo by Ashley Allen – CPL T20/CPL T20 via Getty Images)
Noor also bowled Tim Robinson, but not before the Warriors’ debutant opener had got the chase off to a breezy start with 33 off 20 deliveries, including a deliciously driven lofted six down the ground.
A fired up Alzarri Joseph had Azam Khan caught at short third and was thrilled with the wicket.
Joseph then greeted Shimron Hetmyer with a stare and another short delivery, but Hetmyer launched the next ball high and long over mid-on for six and then scampered the winning runs off the next over to have the decisive final say.
It was a day to forget for the Kings, but one to savour for the Warriors. Barbados Royals are the only other side that remain unbeaten in this year’s competition. (CPL)
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