Russell, Hosein, Narine shine as TKR whip Amazon Warriors

TRINBAGO Knight Riders (TKR), with an electric crowd supporting them at the Queen’s Park Oval in St Clair, grabbed their second win of the 2022 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with a 26-run victory over Guyana Amazon Warriors.

Batting first, TKR delivered one of their better batting performances this season, posting 150/8 in 20 overs.

TKR would have been disappointed with the final total, as at the halfway stage the TT franchise laid a solid platform getting to 71/2 after ten overs.

TKR have lost early wickets throughout the tournament, and it was no different on Wednesday night, as Tion Webster fell first ball leg before to Romario Shepherd for a duck.

Colin Munro and Nicholas Pooran then tried to rebuild the innings.

Munro struck rookie off-spinner Junior Sinclair for six over mid-wicket, then Pooran hit a four down to wide fine leg and got a fortuitous four down to wide third man.

Pooran continued to punish Shepherd, hitting the medium pacer for six over square leg, but Shepherd had the last laugh as Pooran chased a wide delivery and was caught behind by wicket-keeper Heinrich Klaasen for 15.

The scoring slowed down after the loss of Pooran, as Munro and Tim Seifert tried to avoid further damage by being watchful.

Medium pacer Keemo Paul and leg-spinner Imran Tahir kept Seifert and Munro quiet with tight bowling as TKR progressed to 52/2 after eight overs.

Munro broke the drought of boundaries with a four down to long-on off pacer Odean Smith.

Seifert then got into the action, hitting a four down to wide third man as TKR scored 13 runs off the ninth over.

TKR would have been satisfied getting to 71/2 after ten overs ,as a platform had been laid for power-hitters Andre Russell and Kieron Pollard.

TKR lost wickets regularly in the second half of the innings and only increased the scoring rate slightly.

Munro was caught on the boundary for 42 off 37 balls by Paul Stirling attempting a sweep shot to give left-arm spinner Tabriz Shamsi the wicket. Russell’s dismal run of form continued as he was caught for three at wide long-on, attempting a slog sweep ,to give Tahir the scalp.

Sunil Narine surprisingly came to the crease before Pollard and entertained the near-capacity crowd, the largest of this year’s tournament.

Guyana Amazon Warriors captain Shimron Hetmyer led by example in the field, completing a catch diving forward running in from the long-on fence to dismiss Seifert for 27 off 35 balls.

Pollard finally came to the middle and settled down quickly, pulling a short ball from Shamsi over the mid-wicket boundary, and in the same over cleared the long-on fence, despite not timing it perfectly.

Shamsi got his revenge as Pollard was bowled off the last ball of the 18th over for 16.

Narine tried to keep the scoreboard ticking, hitting Paul for six over the covers.

Narine (26) and Akeal Hosein (one) both fell in the final over as TKR closed on an even 150.

Shamsi ended with 4/36 in four overs and Shepherd grabbed 3/22 in three overs.

The Amazon Warriors got off to a similar start, scoring at an impressive rate, but losing wickets in the process.

Paul Stirling was caught for duck and after some attractive strokeplay, Chandrapaul Hemraj was dismissed for 28 off 17 deliveries to leave Amazon Warriors 34/2 in the fifth over.

Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein, playing in his first match since the team’s opener because of a groin injury, was treated with disdain by Klaasen. Klaasen struck Hosein for three sixes in an over, before being caught in the covers by Pooran for 19.

Hetmyer, who is having a fruitful tournament, looked solid in the middle. As soon as Amazon Warriors put their noses in front, TKR snatched two quick wickets. Hetmyer opened the face of the bat and steered the ball to Daryn Dupavillon at third man to give Russell the wicket. Hetmyer scored 20 off 16 balls. In the next over, Hosein bowled Paul for duck as Amazon Warriors were now 81/5 after 10.1 overs.

Narine then put TKR in control, grabbing two wickets in three balls. Colin Ingram was caught by wicket-keeper Seifert for 13 and Odean Smith was bowled for nought. Amazon Warriors were now reeling on 89/7 after 12 overs.

Russell bowled Shepherd with a yorker for eight and TKR were now poised for victory.

The last-wicket pair of Junior Sinclair and Shamsi showed fight, but the Amazon Warriors were eventually dismissed for 124 in 17.5 overs.

Hosein ended with 3/36 in four overs, Narine took 2/9 in four overs and Russell snatched 3/16 in 2.5 overs.

Summarised Scores:

TKR 150/8 (20 overs) – Colin Munro 42, Tim Seifert 27; Tabraiz Shamsi 4/36, Romario Shepherd 3/22 vs GUYANA AMAZON WARRIORS 124 (17.5 overs) - Chandrapaul Hemraj 28, Shimron Hetmyer 20; Andre Russell 3/16, Akeal Hosein 3/36, Sunil Narine 2/9. TKR won by 26 runs. Man of the Match: Sunil Narine (TKR).