CPL 2017, Match 4, SNP v GAW, Review: St Kitts and Nevis Patriots beat Warriors twice in two days

A day after St Kitts and Nevis eked out a narrow win over the Guyana Amazon Warriors, the stage was set for the reverse fixture between the two sides. The action stayed in Florida for the clash. In a very surprising move, the Guyana Amazon Warriors were led by Rayad Emrit. Martin Guptill, who had led the team in the previous game, was rested for the game. The St Kitts and Nevis Patriots played under the captaincy of Chris Gayle.

Emrit won the toss for the Warriors and elected to bowl first. The overseas players for them in the game were Babar Azam, Sohail Tanvir, and Rashid Khand. For the patriots, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Nabi, Hasan Ali made it to the playing eleven. In walked the powerpacked duo of Chris Gayle and Evin Lewis to open the innings for St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.

Lewis failed yet again and perished after struggling for 15 balls for his 4 runs. He was stumped by Chadwick Walton off the bowling of Steven Jacobs in his attempt to break the shackles in the 4th over. Mohammad Hafeez (11) had a poor time in the middle too. He was run out in the 8th over by a combined effort of Walton and Keemo Paul. At 33/2 midway through the 8th over, the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots looked in dire straits.

Gayle-King rebuild the innings

The positive for them was the presence of their skipper Gayle at the crease. Gayle was joined by Brandon King at the crease. The two players steadied the ship for the Patriots. A 97 run stand beckoned for them for the 3rd wicket. It lasted till the penultimate ball of the innings. En route the stand, Gayle reached his fifty.

Brandon King was dismissed on the penultimate ball of the innings on 39 (35) after being run out by Walton. He hit two fours and as many sixes during his stay at the crease. Chris Gayle remained unbeaten on 66 that came off 55 balls with 4 fours and 2 sixes to help St Kitts and Nevis Patriots finish with 132/3 in their 20 overs.

And the run chase

In the run chase, Chadwick Walton found a new opening partner in Steven Taylor. Walton hit a four first up but ended up perishing on 10 in the third over bowled by Sheldon Cottrell. Taylor, too, failed to impress and was stumped in the fourth over on 7 off the bowling of Samuel Badree. Jason Mohammed and Babar Azam were the new batsmen at the crease with the task of rebuilding the innings.

They batted sensibly to add 55 runs for the third wicket off just 47 balls. Mohammad Nabi dented the steady march of the Guyana Amazon Warriors by dismissing Azam on 21 (20) in the 12th over of the game. Gajanand Singh joined Mohammed at the crease. Mohammed soon started to take a few risks and hit a couple of sixes. He was dismissed in the 17th over after having scored a run-a-ball 41.

The Guyana Amazon Warriors still needed 31 to win off 23 deliveries after his dismissal. Keemo Paul was the new man in. Cottrell came back to the attack to send Keemo Paul cheaply on 4 to bring Rayad Emrit to the crease. With 8 needed off the last over, the match could have gone in anybody’s favor. On the first delivery of the final over, drama unfolded as Emrit was run out on 9.

Wicket of Sohail Tanvir followed soon in similar fashion. It was Devon Thomas who inflicted both the run outs. Eventually, the Guyana Amazon Warriors fell short by 4 runs. St Kitts and Nevis Patriots registered their second win – both against the same opposition in the space of two days.

Brief Scores:

St Kitts and Nevis Patriots 132/3 in 20 overs (Gayle 66, King 39, Jacobs 1/32)

Guyana Amazon Warriors 128/8 in 20 overs (Mohammed 41, Gajanand 28, Cottrell 2/28, Badree 1/15)