TRIDENTS IN THE RAIN Amazon Warriors lose CPL final on D/L method

TRIDENTS IN THE RAIN
Amazon Warriors lose CPL final on D/L method

Story Created: Aug 16, 2014 at 9:55 PM ECT
Express

The Barbados Tridents defeated the Guyana Amazon Warriors by eight runs on the Duckworth Lewis method to win a rain-affected 2014 Limacol Caribbean Premier League Twenty20 final and a place in this year’s Champions League T20.

The Tridents batted first and made 152 for six off their 20 overs thanks to half-centuries from Dwayne Smith (59 off 52 balls) and Shoaib Malik 55 off 42 balls).

For the second straight year, the Guyana Amazon Warriors were left heartbroken following the final after they were restricted to 107 for four after 15.5 overs when rain intervened for the fourth and final time in what was an anticlimactic end to the match.

When the Tridents were asked to take first strike, they suffered two early losses when Kirshmar Santokie sent back William Perkins in the first over and then Jason Holder in the third.

Both Holder and Perkins failed to get off the mark but half centuries from Dwayne Smith and Shoaib Malik as well as 18 extras from the Amazon Warriors made up for the early Tridents setbacks.

The pair battled through a couple of rain delays to put the innings back on track, taking the score from eight for two in the third over to 96 for three in the 13th.

Smith, who struck three sixes and six fours was brutal to pacer Ronsford Beaton who was dispatched for 17 runs in his first over.

Sunil Narine had better luck against the Bajans, striking with the final two balls of his first over to send back Smith and then Tridents skipper Kieron Pollard for a first ball duck with the score on 96 for four after 13 overs.

Malik then stepped up with a six and a four off Santokie in the 19th over to bring up his half century.

That over went for 15 and the final over bowled by Beaton went for 16 as the Tridents got themselves to a competitive total.

It was never smooth sailing for the Warriors who lost an early wicket when Martin Guptill departed in the third over.

The Warriors then lost the leading scorer in the competition, Lendl Simmons for just 20 off 26 balls in the ninth with the score on 49 and needed something special to get themselves back into contention.

Mohammad Hafeez tried to give them impetus with a 27-ball 28 which included two sixes and a four but he skied a Jason Holder delivery to Rayad Emrit as they slipped further behind at 74 for three off 12.2 overs.

Jimmy Neesham gloved one behind three balls later and the Tridents were in full control right up until the final rain delay that saw the match and the Amazon Warriors’ hopes end prematurely.