In a seven-wicket defeat, the Guyana Amazon Warriors faced their first loss of the season to the St. Lucia Kings on Thursday.
The match took place at the National Stadium, Providence.
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, the Amazon Warriors faced a slow start to their innings. Saim Ayub and Matthew Nandu struggled to make solid contact within the first three overs. Unfortunately, Nandu (3) was run out in the fourth over, leaving the score at 10 runs for the loss of one wicket.
Shai Hope and Ayub managed to put together 40 runs before Ayub’s departure in the ninth over, scoring 16 runs. Azam Khan joined Hope at the crease, contributing 32 runs before Hope (38) was dismissed in the 14th over, with the score at 82 for 3.
Khan (40) continued to push forward, hitting three sixes and four fours from 25 balls before his wicket fell in the 17th over, leaving the score at 119 for 4. Shimron Hetmyer and Keemo Paul each added 19 runs, along with a brief contribution from Romario Shepherd (10), bringing the final score to 167 for five in 20 overs.
However, during the Kings’ innings, the Warriors found it challenging to make any breakthroughs in the St. Lucia Kings’ batting line-up. The visitors executed their run chase flawlessly.
Although Johnson Charles was dismissed early in the second over with just five runs on the board, half-centuries from Colin Munro (55) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (86) swiftly shifted the game in St. Lucia’s favor. The pair combined for 137 runs, taking their side close to the target before the loss of the second wicket.
With Munro and Rajapaksa back in the pavilion, the Kings ultimately surpassed the mark in the 18th over, finishing with a score of 170 for 3.
The wickets were taken by Keemo Paul, Imran Tahir, and Romario Shepherd.
With this victory, St. Lucia secured their spot in the playoffs, scheduled for Tuesday, September 19.
Eric Collymore, NCN News