Saturday 18th July – Providence, Guyana: The Barbados Tridents bowled brilliantly as a unit to defend 125 against the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Hero Caribbean Premier League. Rayad Emrit, Kieron Pollard and Robin Peterson all did an outstanding job in preventing the Amazon Warriors from getting to a target that they could have reached with some ease. When the Tridents had batted, Jason Holder had top scored with 30 as he helped get his side to a total that they could feasibly defend, but it is the bowlers that deserve the credit.
The Barbados Tridents gave a chance to USA opening batsman Steven Taylor at the top of the order and the 21-year-old did not look out of place as he smashed Veerasammy Permaul over long on for six. Unfortunately for the young man, who was getting a chance on such a big stage, he could not make the most of it as he mistimed a pull shot off David Wiese for 13.
Wiese collected the wicket of Taylor’s fellow opener, Dwayne Smith, in the same over to leave the Tridents 30-2 with two batsmen at the crease that had yet to face a ball. Wiese collected his third wicket when the wily South African seamer had Jonathan Carter caught at the wicket for seven.
During the middle overs it was the spin bowlers that were the stars of the show. Sunil Narine was at his parsimonious best. For the second game in succession he bowled a maiden, quite an achievement in this harum-scarum form of the game.
While Narine was collecting dot balls it was Devendra Bishoo who was collecting wickets. Bishoo managed to dismiss Robin Petersen and Misbah-ul-Haq as, for the second match in a row, the Providence pitch took turn and bounce from the spinners.
Wiese returned at the end of the innings to complete the third five-wicket haul of his career, ending up with figures of 5-30, as the Tridents stumbled to 125-9. Only Jason Holder produced an innings of any substance, high scoring with 30 runs from just 17 balls. If not for him the Tridents would have struggled to make if past the 100 mark.
The Amazon Warriors began their chase in steady fashion, clearly deciding that a measured approach was the way to go in these conditions. They made it to 23-0 off their Powerplay as the hugely experienced Brad Hodge and Lendl Simmons looked to keep wickets in hand chasing a target of just over a run a ball.
The approach was not without risk as the required rate increased rapidly on a surface where it was tricky to score rapidly without losing wickets in clusters. Some of the pressure that was built up was released when Tridents captain, Kieron Pollard, turned to his inexperienced leg spinner, Imran Khan. He was taken for eight runs off his first over as the batsmen made a conscious effort to target him.
Khan came back well in his next over, dismissing Hodge to a ball that the batsman tried to cut but it was too close to him for the shot. He only succeeded in chopping the ball onto the stumps having made 27 from 28.
At the halfway point of the Amazon Warriors innings they had made it to 45-1 and that became 45-2 when Simmons was well caught at point off Pollard from the first ball of the 11th over.
Umar Akmal and Denesh Ramdin combined in a partnership of 28 at a run a ball, however Akmal was dismissed for 20 off the bowling of Pollard as the Amazon Warriors were left needing 10 an over to win.
Ramdin was needed to be there at the end for the Amazon Warriors to reach their target, but he could not get his side home. The Amazon Warriors captain looped a tame catch to Misbah at point off Rayad Emrit.
Some powerful late order hitting from Christopher Barnwell got the Amazon Warriors close, but he was left with too much to do with 24 needed off the last over. He swung manfully but the Guyanese side came up 14 runs short.
This win means that the Tridents will finish in second place in the table at worst and only the Red Steel can finish above them if they win both of their remaining fixtures. Last year’s champions did brilliantly well to dig deep and defend this total and it bodes well for them in the latter stages.
For the Amazon Warriors, results elsewhere mean that it would take massive swings in net run rate in the remaining fixtures for them not to be competing in the eliminators. If they can win their last game against the Red Steel they will qualify with some ease.
Below: The CPL point standings after the Trdents/Warriors match.
Ok, we might as well ask the question. When will we get our T20 Franchise & what name should we use? I suggest Dominica Kalinagos