The Saturday doubleheader in the Caribbean Premier League saw St Kitts and Nevis Patriots smash Guyana Amazon Warriors by eight wickets and Barbados Royals edge past Jamaica Tallawahs by 15 runs.
The Warriors expected the surface to slow down and hence decided to bat first. Their innings never got going, as they lost wickets at regular intervals. Opener Chandrapaul Hemraj top-scored for them with 39 off 30 while the last game’s heroes Shimron Hetmyer and Odean Smith fell on 4 and 0, respectively.
Captain Nicholas Pooran smashed three sixes in his cameo of 23 off 10, but he couldn’t carry on. Mohammad Hafeez, who struggled badly for the majority of part, somehow made up for it with late hitting and scored 38 off 31 to take the Warriors to 146/8. Dominic Drakes was the pick of the bowlers for SKNP with 3/26 in his four.
In response, the Patriots had a great start with Evin Lewis and Devon Thomas putting on a 113-run partnership for the first wicket in 13.2 overs. Lewis was clinical in his stroke play, smashing 62 off 39 with five sixes. Devon Thomas struggled throughout the innings but managed to score unbeaten 55 off 54 as St Kitts and Nevis Patriots cruised to their second victory.
The afternoon fixture saw Barbados Royals win the toss and bat first, but they were pushed back with wickets at regular intervals and were reduced to 82/5 in 12.2 overs.
After failing in the first two games, Glenn Phillips came to bat at number 4 and carried the Barbados batting. The New Zealand international scored excellent 56* off 46 while Raymon Reifer contributed 31* off 20.
The duo put on an unbroken partnership of 79 off 7.4 overs to take the Royals to a total of 161/5. Veerasammy Permaul was the pick of the bowlers for Jamaica Tallawahs, picking 2/15 in his four.
The Tallawahs, who blasted 255 in the last game, didn’t get off to a great start as they lost their top 4 inside the powerplay. Shamarh Brooks (47 off 45) and Carlos Brathewaite (29 off 27) tried to rebuild the innings and get closer to the total, but the scoring rate just wasn’t enough.
Their biggest hope, Andre Russell, who smashed 14-ball-50 in the last game, was dismissed on a golden duck, ending the Tallawahs’ chances. Mohammad Amir and Thisara Perera picked two scalps each, while Reifer picked 3/31 and was named the match’s player afterwards.
