Powerful Dre Russ guides TKR to five-wicket win vs Amazon Warriors

Four-time Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) champions Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) moved to second spot in the 2024 season on September 18 when they got a five-wicket win against Guyana Amazon Warriors at the Queen's Park Oval, St Clair.

The highly anticipated encounter saw the first meeting between last season's finalists. And though the Amazon Warriors romped to a nine-wicket win in last year's finale, the hosts TKR had the last say in this particular encounter, with Australian Tim David (31 not out off 24 balls) and Jamaican Andre Russell (36 not out off 15 balls) bringing home the game with lusty hitting at the death in an unbeaten 60-run partnership for the sixth wicket.

With David and Russell coming together after the fall of Nicholas Pooran (19), TKR needed 60 off the last five overs as they chased down a 149-run target. The Amazon Warriors landed a crucial blow when they made a successful review to overturn a Pooran lbw decision, but Russell and David had other ideas.

In the 16th over, the belligerent Russell was dropped by substitute fielder Junior Sinclair off the bowling of Shamar Joseph (one for 27) off the very first ball he faced.

In the next over, Russell effectively turned the game when he smashed debutant Nathan Sowter (two for 37) for three sixes in an over which cost 19 runs – leaving TKR needing 31 off the last three overs.

South African Dwaine Pretorius escaped Russell's wrath in an excellent penultimate over to leave TKR needing 12 off the last over which was bowled by Keemo Paul (one for 38).

Paul had no answer for David, though, and the big Aussie hammered a Paul half-volley for a straight back six, before swatting a loosely lined full toss over fine leg for another six to seal the game with four balls to spare.

TKR had a slow start after restricting Amazon Warriors to 148 for seven, and they limped to 55 for three at the ten-over mark after losing Sunil Narine (11), Shaqkere Parris (29) and Keacy Carty (10).

With the muscle and precision of David and "Dre Russ," the hosts were dug out of a sticky spot as they got a win to start their home leg of the competition.

Sent in to have the first strike by Kieron Pollard, the Amazon Warriors got their modest score after slipping to 76 for seven after 12 overs. After being stifled by the dynamic spin pair of Sunil Narine (two for 24) and Waqar Salamkheil (two for 19), Romario Shepherd (51 not out off 24 balls) rescued the Warriors innings with a splendid knock of measured aggression.

Shepherd, who was returning to the Guyana squad after suffering an injury earlier in the tourney, struck four sixes in his knock – all in the last five overs – as he and Dwaine Pretorius (21 not out) finished their team's innings with an unbeaten 72-run partnership.

Before Shepherd reached his second CPL fifty, the TKR bowlers were in full command.

Opener Kevin Sinclair (nine) was the first man to go when he was bamboozled and bowled by an Akeal Hosein (one for 20 delivery) – even taking an ill-advised review to try and overturn the decision.

Last season's CPL MVP Shai Hope (five) was the next to go after being stumped off the bowling of Narine, with Shimron Hetmyer (seven) and opening batsman Tim Robinson (34 off 28) being dismissed in the ninth over by the tricky Salamkheil. Robinson's dismissal offered a throwback to a bygone era for the local faithful, as the 40-year-old Dwyane Bravo took a sublime catch at first slip after the ball flew off the outside edge.

Playing in his final CPL season and final match, Bravo appeared to be soaking up all the atmosphere and fanfare at the venue, and the TKR players and staff added a special touch to the occasion by donning Bravo's number 47 on their jerseys, with the words "Thank You DJ."

Just moments after his fine catch at slip, Bravo joined the act with the ball when he bowled Keemo Paul (three) off a bottom edge in the tenth over as the Warriors slipped to 60 for five.

With the capacity home crowd now jumping out of their seats, a double blow in the 12th over saw the visitors slipping into further trouble.

Shepherd flexed his muscles at the death to give the the defending champions a fighting chance, but the brute of David and Russell did him one better and eventually got TKR over the line.

With the loss, the Warriors slipped to fourth on the six-team table, with three wins and two losses.

TKR will play the fifth-placed Antigua and Barbuda Falcons from 7 pm in St Clair on September 19.

Summarised Scores:

GUYANA AMAZON WARRIORS – 148/7 from 20 overs (Romario Shepherd 51, Tim Robinson 34; Waqar Salamkheil 2/19, Sunil Narine 2/24) vs TKR – 149/5 from 19.2 overs (Andre Russell 36 not out, Tim David 31 not out; Nathan Sowter 2/37). TKR won by five wickets.