WCPL 2024 Match 3 Review: Erin Burns powers Guyana Amazon Warriors to victory over Trinbago Knight Riders

A belligerent 78 off 48 balls from Erin Burns powered Guyana Amazon Warriors to a comfortable eight-wicket victory over Trinbago Knight Riders in the 2024 Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad.

Chasing 131 in good batting conditions, Warriors were in deep trouble at 15/2 before Burns combined with captain Lauren Winfield-Hill (46 off 47 balls) for an unbroken 119-run partnership in the competition's highest-ever stand.  

Spinner Chloe Tryon had clawed Warriors back into the contest with 4-21 after a half-century opening partnership from captain Deandra Dottin and Harshitha Samarawickrama threatened to lift the Knight Riders to a huge score. Knight Riders' total of 130/6 proved under par as the Warriors mowed down the target with 16 balls to spare. 

Both teams were desperate after losing to Barbados Royals in their opening matches. Warriors hoped for early movement having elected to bowl under overcast skies, but were blunted by Samarawickrama and Dottin. 

Samarawickrama, who has replaced the injured Meg Lanning, unfurled elegant strokes through the off-side and also pounced on short-pitched bowling as Knight Riders reached 37/0 after the powerplay. 

Shabnim Ismail unleashed express pace with the new ball, but she was thwarted by the determined openers keen on getting their team off to a strong start after top-order struggles against Royals. 

Ismail's mood soured further when she produced an edge off Samarawickrama in the sixth over only for Burns, normally such a brilliant fielder, to fumble a regulation chance at wide slip. 

The partnership reached 50 before Tryon struck with her first delivery after Dottin was well caught by Ashmini Munisar diving forward at the gully. 

Tryon then struck in her next over when Samarawickrama was clean-bowled after failing to execute a reverse sweep. Knight Riders were bogged down in the middle overs, unable to find the boundary during a sedate 45-ball stretch. 

Jemimah Rodrigues and Jess Jonassen broke the shackles with a quick 44-run partnership. But Tryon dismissed the dangerous Jonassen for 28 and also Kycia Knight in the penultimate over as Warriors continued their fightback. 

The warriors' momentum was snuffed with the early wickets of Natasha McLean and Stafanie Taylor as Jonassen and seamer Shikha Pandey bowled brilliantly in the powerplay. The pressure fell on Winfield-Hill and Burns, who counterattacked down the ground and worked the gaps on the leg side. 

Burns received luck along the way, dropped on 32 by Jonassen at midwicket and she reached her half-century off 32 balls when Anisa Mohammed spilled a catch at short midwicket. 

The warriors' strategy to chase in dewy conditions proved a masterstroke as Burns hit consecutive boundaries to open her team's account in the tournament.