Dwaine Pretorius’ late sixes outscored Kieron Pollard’s in a frantic chase of 168 to help the Guyana Amazon Warriors begin their home stretch with a win and strengthen their playoff chances.
They are now fourth in the points rankings, one point behind the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons but with three matches remaining. Trinbago Knight Riders, second in the table and already through to the playoffs, were lifted to a competitive score solely by Pollard’s unbeaten 54 off 18, but it was insufficient on a night where batting became easier later on, according to Pretorius.
Amazon Warriors were in trouble after their set batsmen, Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer, were out before the 16th over, leaving them with 38 runs to win off 18. Pretorius, fresh off a 53-ball-34 against the Barbados Royals two days ago, ended the 18th over, from Andre Russell, with consecutive sixes to reduce the deficit from 19 to 12, and calmed the nerves in the final over, of which they needed nine, with a hack over wide long-on off Pollard before reaching the target with a ball to spare.
TKR got off to a slow start when they were put in to bat. They continued to attempt boundaries, but kept losing wickets when Romario Shepherd rattled Alex Hales’ stumps and Moeen Ali did the same to Nicholas Pooran, leaving them on 40 for 3 at the end of the powerplay. Moeen and captain Imran Tahir slowed them down even more with a spin strangle, surrendering only 18 runs in the next four overs, including one boundary. Moeen concluded with 4-0-11-1 before Darren Bravo escaped the shackles, but he holed out off Tahir for 33 from 35.
On 100 for 4 after 16, TKR had a huge late boost when Pollard faced 17 off the last 24 balls and hammered the fastest half-century of the season, off 17 balls, studded with his trademark strokes across the line after moving back and forth. He began with successive fours against Pretorius and then hit back-to-back sixes against Shepherd before Keacy Carty quit for 29 off 34 at the end of the 18th. Pollard also took on Tahir, hitting a six that flew 103 metres back over the bowling. Pollard tore at Shepherd for a 21-run over, capping off the innings with a six, six, four, and four.
The Amazon Warriors’ start was also lacklustre, with Akeal Hosein dismissing Moeen and Keemo Paul in his first eight deliveries. Hope, on the other hand, broke loose with 6, 6, and 4 off Russell before Hetmyer smashed Usman Tariq for three sixes in an over to take them to an incredible 66 for 2 after six overs. However, Amazon Warriors slowed down following the powerplay, with the entry of Sunil Narine. He exacerbated the hosts’ problems by having Hetmyer hole out for 49 and catching Hope lbw for 53. But Pretorious held his composure by anticipating yorkers and variations and putting a number of them away to the ropes to help Amzaon Warriors win.
India
