Warriors hold nerve to clinch record win over TKR
GUYANA AMAZON Warriors held their nerve in the closing stages of an onslaught from Kieron Pollard and Darren Bravo to outlast defending champions Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) by 19 runs and clinch an unprecedented eighth straight victory in the Caribbean Premier League on Monday.
The Amazon Warriors looked to be making a gallant defence of a target of 186, when they reduced TKR to 53 for four in the ninth over, but Pollard stepped in to slam an explosive 71 from 38 balls and Bravo was unbeaten on 58 from 46 balls that revived the home team’s chances.
Pollard, the new West Indies white-ball captain, and veteran Windies batsman Bravo shared 112 for the fifth wicket before running out of steam in a tense finish at the Queen’s Park Oval.
With 37 required from the last 12 balls, Windies pacer Keemo Paul conceded a boundary from the first ball of the 19th over before restricting Bravo and Pollard to a string of single for the remaining five balls of the over.
Former South Africa leg-spinner Imran Tahir followed up with a skilful final over, conceding eight from the first three deliveries – including a six to the left-handed Bravo over wide long-on – before he bowled Pollard with the fourth ball of the over and closed the game with a single and a dot-ball.
The victory meant Amazon Warriors kept their clean sheet and set a CPL record for the number of consecutive victories in the tournament.
TKR STILL IN IT
TKR face the visiting Barbados Tridents today, needing to clinch a victory or else leave their hopes of qualification for the Final in the hands of other teams.
Earlier, Chandrapaul Hemraj hit the top score of 66 from 42 balls and Windies batsman Shimron Hetmyer cracked 48 from 38 balls to put the wheels in motion for the Amazon Warriors, but Romario Shepherd hit a crucial 32 not out, as the visitors posted 185 for six from their 20 overs.
Hemraj and Hetmyer shared 98 for the second wicket before the Amazon Warriors innings went into a tailspin and they were wobbling on 143 for six in the 18th over.
But Shepherd hit three fours and two sixes from 13 balls to help Amazon Warriors raise 34 from the last two overs, which effectively proved vital in the second half of the contest.