SKN VS GUY MATCH 7

Right then, that is it from this run-fest where Guyana Amazon Warriors get the better of St Kitts and Nevis Patriots. However, the action in the CPL 2024 continues on 6th September, Thursday when Antigua and Barbuda Falcons take on Trinbago Knight Riders. That game will begin at 4.30 am IST (11 pm GMT, Previous Day), but as you know, you can always join us early for all the build-up to the match. Until then, cheers and goodbye!

Imran Tahir, the victorious skipper of Guyana Amazon Warriors says that he can expect anything as the skipper with the kind of team they have. Says Gurbaz showed his skills and Hetmyer and Keemo played well too towards the backend. Adds they tried to keep them under pressure and executed it perfectly and just had to replicate the same with the ball. Also mentions that the Patriots were well above the required run rate while chasing at some point but they came back strongly and took quick wickets which gave them the momentum. Further tells he wanted to bowl the difficult overs and wanted to lead from the front. Is happy that the plans worked and appreciates Gudakesh Motie for bowling exceptionally well.

Andre Fletcher, the captain of St Kitts and Nevis Patriots says that it is very tough to swallow this pill. Adds that knowing the home conditions, and with the wind factor, but still bowling like that is unacceptable. Tells that he may sound harsh but the bowlers need to execute their plans better, and when you are leaking runs on both sides, it is hard to set a field. Says that the wicket is good for both batting first and second, they have the confidence of chasing 220, but over 250 is a bit too much. Further adds that the dropped chances also cost them and while chasing, they were going good but lost Sherfane Rutherford at the wrong time or things could have been different. Says that he cannot let his head down and keep encouraging his players, the owners and the fans need them to win games. Ends by saying that for the first time, he batted in rage and maybe he needed to do this a lot more, but he would have been more happy if he got his side over the line.

Shimron Hetmyer is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his blistering knock of 91 off just 39 balls. He begins and says that it was an inning of two halves. Adds that in the beginning, he and Gurbaz were striking the ball really well but when wickets fell in quick intervals, he had to switch the gears. On being asked about hitting 11 sixes, he says he was just trying to play every ball on merit and didn't try to do anything extra. Further says that there have been a lot of runs scored at this venue and they just had to be as clear as possible. Mentions that he is hungry for runs this year and trying and working really hard in the nets.

Presentation Time...

Earlier in the game, Guyana Amazon Warriors posted a mammoth total of 266 on the board courtesy of a scintillating 91 from Shimron Hetmyer and a fabulous half-century from Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Keemo Paul also showed his power-hitting abilities in a fiery cameo while a couple of other batters also played a few lusty blows. Every bowler except Veerasammy Permaul was expensive and everyone except Ryan John chipped in with a wicket as well. While chasing, Andre Fletcher and Sherfane Rutherford kept St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the game for a while, but they needed much more than that. They still wait for their first win at their home ground since that 2021 final.

Guyana Amazon Warriors, on the other hand, will be happy with the win, but they know that after scoring over 260, they should not be winning with a margin of 40 runs. Even though, the wicket suited the batters, the bowlers gave away far too many loose balls and extras as well. They need to be more disciplined or they will be punished in their upcoming games, and they were in a troublesome situation in this game as well. Dwaine Pretorius and Keemo Paul got a couple of wickets early, but then they were absolutely taken apart by the batters. However, as we know experience matters, and that double-wicket maiden over from captain Imran Tahir shifted the momentum again. He ended up with three while his partners, Gudakesh Motie picked up the important wicket of Fletcher and got three as well. Raymon Reifer was brought in for one over, and he dismissed Sherfane Rutherford to break the partnership, and in the end, it was a team effort that pushed them towards the win.

It was an absolute treat to watch Sherfane Rutherford and Andre Fletcher bat as they were only dealing with boundaries and making it look easy as well. Skipper notched up his half-century in just 18 balls, his fastest in the CPL. He continued to attack and spared no one, but right before the break, he lost his partner. At the halfway mark, a solid platform was built, but the problem for them was they kept losing wickets in regular intervals that put more pressure on the skipper who ultimately fell after smashing 81 off just 33 runs. However, after his dismissal, no one really could make any impact which was expected with the rising asking rate. Mikyle Louis ​​​​and Mohammad Mohsin played a couple of cameos, but that was never really going to be enough as they faced another defeat at home.

St Kitts and Nevis Patriots needed a flying start but instead, they lost Evin Lewis in the very first ever that put them further on the back foot. Their skipper Andre Fletcher also struggled initially, but as they had no time to waste Kyle Mayers took on the attack. Looking at him Spiceman also changed his gears and once he started to middle it, he never looked back. Mayers though was dismissed just as when he was starting to look dangerous. However, once Rutherford joined his skipper, the momentum completely shifted and the onslaught started.

What a blockbuster T20 game! It had absolutely everything, but in the end, it is the defending champions, Guyana Amazon Warriors who came out on top. It rained a bit here in Warner Park, but mostly sixes. A total of 42 biggies were hit, which now holds the joint most hit in a single T20 match. Well, the fans have surely got their money's worth, and this will go down as one of the most entertaining games of cricket in history.

OUT! IN THE AIR...AND TAKEN! Guyana Amazon Warriors, the defending champions win this absolute blockbuster! Banged in short again by Pretorius, and this springs off the deck a bit more, Louis, again looks to flat-bat it in the air but gets into an awkward position as the ball gets a bit heavy on the batter. Louis ends up slicing it up in the night sky off the higher part of the bat and Hope backtracks it from extra cover. Hope locks his eyes on the ball and calls for his catch. Keeps running backward and manages to sustain the ball in his hands. The defending champs, the Warriors register their second win on the bounce whereas the Patriots have now lost three games out of their four matches.

OUT! IN THE AIR...AND TAKEN! Guyana Amazon Warriors, the defending champions win this absolute blockbuster! Banged in short again by Pretorius, and this springs off the deck a bit more, Louis, again looks to flat-bat it in the air but gets into an awkward position as the ball gets a bit heavy on the batter. Louis ends up slicing it up in the night sky off the higher part of the bat and Hope backtracks it from extra cover. Hope locks his eyes on the ball and calls for his catch. Keeps running backward and manages to sustain the ball in his hands. The defending champs, the Warriors register their second win on the bounce whereas the Patriots have now lost three games out of their four matches.

FOUR! Punished! Short of a good length, outside off, just inside the tramline, Mikyle Louis gets a good bounce at his chest level, waits for the ball to arrive and plays a tennis forehand shot, straight down the ground for a boundary.

Length-delivery very wide outside off. Louis throws the kitchen sink at it and slices it in the air towards the cover-point but lands in the safe zone.

Fuller length around off and middle. Louis heaves it into the leg side.

SIX! He has connected that so well! Follows the batter does Dwaine Pretorius and lands it short and well outside off, Mikyle Louis already shuffled across off, brings his long levers to play, connects it from the middle, and flat-bats it aerially over the long off fence for a biggie.

We are back! The players are already out in the middle. Mikyle Louis and Anrich Nortje to resume the batting for St Kitts and Nevis Patriots. Dwaine Pretorius to finish his incomplete over. Here we go...

Oh..no! The drizzle has turned into a shower now and the covers are coming on. The players are making their way out of the ground with less than 3 overs to go in the game. Guyana Amazon Warriors are well ahead on DLS as well. Just as we write this, the covers are coming off now as well and we should be resuming in a bit.