URGED on by a sold-out crowd that included President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, the Guyana Amazon Warriors beat defending Champions St Lucia Kings by 14 runs in Qualifier 1 of the Republic Bank CPL last night at Providence.
The Warriors have now qualified for their eighth final, with their only title coming in 2023.
The Warriors were inserted on a good track and a fast outfield as Ben McDermott edged lively left-arm pacer Tymal Mills for a fortuitous boundary before hitting him for another to rush into double figures.
McDermott whipped the pacey Alzarri Joseph for four before viciously pulling him into the Orange Stand and followed it up by swatting Khary Pierre back past him.
Quentin Sampson got his first run when the score was 36, as he played the role of silent partner.
With the total on 45 (the highest opening for the tournament), McDermott had stumps knocked out, mistiming a big heave at David Wiese. His 34 lasted 27 balls with five fours and a six.
The 50 came up from 39 balls and was laced with five fours and two sixes to the delight of the large and raucous crowd.
Sampson then dumped Pierre and deposited Wiese for massive sixes before clobbering a short wide ball over cover and was taken by the sweeper.
His 17 included a couple of sixes and departed at 62-2.
(Japhet Savory photo)
At the halfway stage, the Warriors were 67-2.
Joseph removed Shamar Brooks (6) at 83-3 which brought Hetmyer to the crease.
Hetmyer made a masterful 68 in his last game and arrived with great expectations of repeat performance but could only sweep Tabraiz Shamsi to Pierre on the square leg boundary.
Three runs later, Shamsi removed Hassan Khan (1) as the Warriors slipped to 98-5.
The 100 was posted in 87 balls, and all hope was left on Shai Hope, who played with his usual elegance.
West Indies Test Captain Roston Chase bowled Moeen Ali (4) at 107-6 which brought the hard-hitting Dwaine Pretorius to the crease. He clobbered Chase for six and the fans were dancing in the stands to the pulsating music.
Hope continued to hit the ball sweetly, but he was running out of partners.
Pretorius hit two fours and a six in a cameo eight-ball 17 before he provided Shamsi with his third wicket to leave the Warriors on 126-7.
Hope, the leading run-scorer in the tournament, made 32 with two fours and has accumulated 479 runs, 92 more than Colin Munroe, who sits in the second spot, but his demise left the Warriors on 139-8.
Romario Shepherd hit two fours and a six in a blistering eight-ball 21 before he fell to Mills at 155-9 with Gudakesh Motie (6) being last out to Mills as Warriors’ batters failed to fire.
Shamsi had 3-33 while Mills, Joseph and Wiese took two each.
Chasing 158 to win and go straight to the final, the Kings slumped to 12-3.
Pretorius removed Tim Seifert (1) and Ackeem Auguste (9) while Johnson Charles (1) fell to Shepherd.
Chase (18) and Aaron Jones took the Kings 40 before Motie struck twice in two balls; he caught Chase with a beauty and bowled Tim David and at 40-5, Motie was on a hat-trick.
The tournament’s leading wicket-taker Imran Tahir, bowled Aaron Jones (10) at 44-6 to move to 19 scalps while Wiese (3) fell to Motie at 48-7.
After 10 overs, the Kings were being dethroned 52-7.
Joseph (14) provided the 46-year-old Tahir with his twentieth scalp as the Kings were 85-8.
But Pierre kept the fight alive, and a gritty half century caused the Warriors unnecessary trouble.
Pierre reached his 50 from 29 balls with three fours and five sixes before he fell to Motie at 117-9.
Hassan Khan removed Mills, who hit 30 with four fours and a six. He shared in a 26-run stand with Shamsi (5) that took the game into the last over,
Motie took 4-30 to follow up his 5-21 in his last match to move to 18 wickets. Tahir is the only other bowler with 5-for in this year’s CPL
The Kings still have an opportunity to retain their crown when they face the Knight Riders in tomorrow’s Qualifier 2 from 20:00hrs.
