Pollard heroics not enough

A BLISTERING half century from Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) captain Kieron Pollard, was not enough to carry his team over the line, as Guyana Amazon Warriors earned its eighth consecutive win in the 2019 Hero Caribbean Premier League T20 Tournament at the Queen’s Park Oval in St Clair, last night.

The win ensures that the Amazon Warriors will end the preliminary phase of the tournament as the top team. TKR still need one win from its remaining two matches to seal a top two finish.

Amazon Warriors scored a competitive 185/6 in 20 overs batting first as Romario Shepherd struck a destructive 32 not out off 13 balls with three fours and two sixes at the end of the innings. Earlier, Chandrapaul Hemraj slammed 66 off 42 deliveries with six fours and four sixes and Shimron Hetmyer scored 48. Bowling for TKR, Javon Searles took 3/39 in three overs.

In reply, TKR’s top order struggled as the home team was reduced to 53/4 in the ninth over. A 112-run partnership between Pollard and Darren Bravo gave TKR a glimmer of hope, but despite a valiant effort the pair could not pull it off. TKR closed on 166/5 as Amazon Warriors won by 19 runs. Pollard fell in the final over for 71 off 38 deliveries with eight fours and three sixes and Bravo ended on 58 not out off 46 balls with six sixes. Spinners Chris Green and Imran Tahir snatched 2/18 in four overs and 2/32 in three overs respectively. TKR will play Barbados Tridents at the Oval at 7 pm, tomorrow night.

SUMMARISED SCORES

Guyana Amazon Warriors 185/6 (20 overs) (Chandrapaul Hemraj 66, Shimron Hetmyer 48, Romario Shepherd 32 not out; Javon Searles 3/39) vs TKR 166/5 (20 overs) (Kieron Pollard 71, Darren Bravo 58 not out; Chris Green 2/18, Imran Tahir 2/32) Amazon Warriors won by 19 runs