The Guyana Amazon Warriors remain unbeaten as they upset the Independence Day party at the Queen’s Park Oval, beating the Trinbago Knight Riders by 9 runs via DLS in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
Shimron Hetmyer equalled the CPL record fastest ever century, as he smashed 111 not out off 43 deliveries after rain reduced the game down to 16 overs per side.
The Knight Riders showed why they are one of the best PowerPlay bowling units in the tournament as they put the Warriors immediately on the backfoot with Akeal Hosein and debutant Lahiru Kumara dismissing Glenn Phillips and Shai Hope with only 19 runs on the board. Before the PowerPlay could be completed the rain came and the players were taken off for what would eventually be a lengthy delay with the Warriors 22 for 2.
The rain eventually passed and the game resumed. The reduction seemed to flip a switch in the Warriors batting and particularly Shimron Hetmyer on his 100th CPL appearance. After a few balls to bed back in, Hetmyer got moving and quickly brought up his half century. The Knight Riders have relied on excellent bowling from their experienced spinners this season, but their seamers have struggled and the contrast between the two was stark again here.
With the end of the shortened innings approaching, Hetmyer began exploding and took the unfortunate debutant Kumara for 30 in the 13th over. He now had a partner in crime as Romario Shepherd also found his range hitting and the two combined to smash 85 runs in the last 4 overs. It was a memorable occasion for Hetmyer anyway but he made it even more special when he equalled the fastest century in CPL history, bringing it up in just 40 deliveries. The Warriors ended on 185 for 5, with the DLS leaving TKR with an adjusted target of 182.
The Knight Riders looked to push the tempo early on and started nicely before Sunil Narine fell to a spectacular one-handed catch on the boundary by Glenn Phillips that even took him by surprise. Narine and Colin Munro have formed a formidable opening pairing in recent matches but it wasn’t to be here as Munro fell shortly after to Mohammad Nabi.
Nicholas Pooran provided some much needed impetus and suddenly put the Warriors on the backfoot. He found seven boundaries, including four maximums, but Nabi got the big fish as Pooran found the hands of Quentin Sampson for 43. From there, the required run rate began to climb sharply and the Knight Riders had no option but to try and go big.
Wickets began to fall regularly with Jyd Goolie, Justin Greaves and Akeal Hosein all falling relatively cheaply. Alex Hales remained the Knight Riders only hope to give them any sort of chance. He smashed seven maximums in an excellent innings of 55, before his stumps were rattled by Shamar Joseph. Romario Shepherd with 24 to defend from the final over was able to so so comfortably and the Warriors kept their one hundred percent record alive.
CPL
