Amazon Warriors defeat inconsistent Kings by six wickets

HEINRICH KLAASEN and captain Shimron Hetmyer featured in a fourth-wicket partnership of 66, off 7.3 overs, as the Guyana Amazon Warriors got the better of the St Lucia Kings, in a battle of struggling teams, in the 2022 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

This game took place on Saturday evening at the Daren Sammy Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia.

The Amazon Warriors registered their first win in the tournament, and moved to fourth spot on the standings with three points, the same as the Trinbago Knight Riders but with a superior run-rate. The Kings fell to their fourth defeat in five games, and are in last place with two points.

Barbados Royals are the leaders with eight points, ahead of the Jamaica Tallawahs (six) and St Kitts/Nevis Patriots (four).

The Kings got a wonderful opening stand of 93, off 8.1 overs, between Johnson Charles (87 not out off 59 balls with six fours and five sixes) and captain Faf du Plessis, before du Plessis, the former South Africa captain, was bowled by his countryman, left-arm spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, for 31 (20 balls, four sixes). A batting collapse soon followed as Niroshan Dickwella (one), Mark Deyal (one) and Roston Chase (six) all fell to spin, leaving the hosts on 125/4 in the 16th over.

Tim David (23 off 17 balls, with two sixes and a four) and Charles pushed the Kings to 161/7 in their allotted overs. Shamsi (2/14) and pacer Keemo Paul (2/27) took two wickets apiece for the Amazon Warriors.

The spin pair of left-armer Jeavon Royal and Chase, with his off-breaks, accounted for Chandrapaul Hemraj (23), Shai Hope (11) and Colin Ingram (six) to leave the Amazon Warriors on 46/3, in the seventh over. Klaasen (61 not out off 46 balls, with three sixes and two fours) got support from Hetmyer (32 off 21 balls with two sixes and a four) and Paul (21 not out off ten deliveries with two sixes and a four) as the Amazon Warriors reached 162/4 with 1.4 overs to spare.

Royal was the main wicket-taker, with 2/17.