Guyana using 2019 CPL 'pain' as motivation

JELANI BECKLES

GUYANA Amazon Warriors have been to the Hero Caribbean Premier League final five times in seven years, but are yet to win a title. Captain Chris Green said his team is not dwelling on the past and their pain will be used as motivation.

Amazon Warriors were undefeated in the preliminary phase of the 2019 edition with ten wins on the trot and then got past Barbados Tridents in qualifier one at Providence Stadium in Guyana.

Amazon Warriors could not end the tournament unbeaten, losing to Tridents in the final at Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba.

Speaking to journalists on Zoom on Friday, Green reflected on the 2019 final. “Last year when we there after the game together, it certainly hurt. We went on that amazing run and then were outplayed in the final.”

The South African-born Australian said his team is hungry to finish on top. “To go through and win 11 games in a row is an amazing feat and obviously we would’ve loved to put the icing on the cake and bring that trophy home. It has left a lot of us wanting more and desiring more and using that pain as a little bit of motivation for those who are still thinking about it.”

The 2020 edition bowls off in Tarouba on Tuesday with Amazon Warriors tackling home team Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) at 10 am.

On facing TKR in the opening match of the tournament, the Amazon Warriors skipper said, “We are all really excited for our first game on the (August) 18th against TKR. We’ve got a great rivalry with them and it will be nice to start off on the right foot.”

No fans are allowed in this year’s tournament in Trinidad, but Green thinks TKR has an edge.

“I think the competition is going to be incredibly tough. All the teams have got great rosters put together. Obviously the whole tournament being in Trinidad naturally makes TKR have that home advantage the whole time. I think they are the forerunners, but we love going through with the underdog tag and I am super excited about the team we have been able to put together.”

Green has replaced Pakistani Shoaib Malik as captain of the Amazon Warriors. Green had a stint as captain of the team in 2018.

Like TKR, the Guyana franchise has several local players on its squad with the likes of Shimron Hetmyer, Keemo Paul, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd and Chandrapaul Hemraj. Other West Indian top players include vice-captain Nicholas Pooran and Brandon King, along with Ross Taylor of New Zealand and South African spinner Imran Tahir.

The crowds in Trinidad and Guyana are known for being the most passionate. Green said his team is going to miss the Guyanese fans this year.

“One of the factors that we are going to miss this year is certainly playing in front of our fans at Providence Stadium. That’s been massive. The support we get from Guyana and throughout the Caribbean certainly mean so much to the players. I know already a lot of us have been getting so many messages from our fans saying they miss us and they are sending great wishes.”