Shai Hope shines with bat, Amazon Warriors whip Royals by 47 runs

Defending Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) champions Guyana Amazon Warriors (12 points) continued their strong form at home when they got a comfortable 47-run win over Barbados Royals (ten points) at the Providence Stadium, Guyana on September 25.

With their convincing victory, the Warriors consolidated second spot on the six-team table and rattled off a third straight win in the Guyana leg of the tournament after wins against the eliminated pair of St Kitts and Nevis Patriots and Antigua and Barbuda Falcons last week.

Sent in to have first strike by captain Rovman Powell and the Royals, the Amazon Warriors put on a batting clinic for their home supporters as they scored a massive score of 219 for eight, before restricting the guests to 172 for nine.

Guyana's score was the third-highest at Providence in the history of the tourney, and it proved a hurdle too steep for the Royals who were reeling at 95 for eight at one stage before a late charge at the death by South African batsman David Miller (71 not out off 34 balls) added respectability to their total.

Earlier, it was the pair of Shai Hope (71 off 37) and Shimron Hetmyer (57 off 34) who set up the game for the hosts with a 106-run stand for the third wicket.

Fresh from international duty with Afghanistan, opening batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz (seven) fell to spinner Maheesh Theekshana (three for 15) in the first over. However, Azam Khan (26 off 17) ensured the Warriors had a productive power play, before Hope and Hetmyer did the heavy lifting through the middle overs.

Man of the Match Hope hit five fours and five sixes in his knock, with Hetmyer clouting three sixes and four fours. Both men fell in quick succession as the hosts slipped from 165 for two to 181 for six in the space of three overs.

Barbados fought back at the back end as they took five wickets in the last five overs which cost 46 runs.

Still, Guyana's total was an imposing one, and when skipper Imran Tahir (two for 22) outfoxed and clean-bowled Powell (ten) in the 11th over, the visiting team were in deep trouble at 79 for five.

Miller and his countryman Quinton de Kock (35 off 23) were the only two batsmen who offered resistance to the Warriors spin attack as the hosts had their way in front of a jubilant home crowd.

Barbados slipped to 123 for nine when Obed McCoy (13) was bowled by Romario Shepherd (one for 28) in the 16th over, before the left-handed Miller put on a vicious attack to blaze his way to a third CPL fifty in what was his 500th T20 match.

Miller's crushing blows couldn't stop a third straight defeat for the third-placed Barbados, but they will hope he can carry the form into their last preliminary match against four-time champs Trinbago Knight Riders at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba on September 27. That match bowls off at 8 pm.

Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie led the Warriors attack with three for 42, with Moeen Ali chipping in with two for 16 and the big scalps of de Kock and Jason Holder.

Summarised Scores:

GUYANA AMAZON WARRIORS 219/8 (20 overs) (Shai Hope 71, Shimron Hetmyer 57, Azam Khan 26; Maheesh Theekshana 3/15) vs BARBADOS ROYALS 172/9 (20 overs (David Miller 71 not out, Quinton de Kock 35; Gudakesh Motie 3/42, Moeen Ali 2/16). Amazon Warriors won by 47 runs.

CPL standings (After Amazon Warriors/Royals match on September 25):

Team*GP*W*L*Pts*NRR

Kings*9*7*2*14*0.959

Amazon Warriors*8*6*2*12*1.249

Royals*9*5*4*10*0.277

TKR*8*5*3*10*-0.087

Falcons*10*3*7*6*-0.592

Patriots*10*1*9*2*-1.479