Fired up Warriors seeking third straight win against home team Kings
Guyana Amazon Warriors are in peak form heading into tonight’s battle.
2024 Caribbean Premier League…
GAW vs. SLK
Kaieteur Sports – A fired up Guyana Amazon Warriors team will be looking to extend their mini unbeaten streak, as they will be gunning what could be their third straight win tonight when they lock horns with the home team, St. Lucia Kings.
After shattering records in the last match against the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, where over 400 runs were scored; the champs will be looking to apply similar pressure when they square off against a star-studded Kings team in their backyard.
Warriors batting have been on point from jump, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Shimron Hetmyer, Keemo Paul and makeshift opener Kevin Sinclair, all looking dangerous following last match heroics.
The champs racked up 266 in the last game after Gurbaz and Hetmyer cut loose with fifties, with additional impetus coming from their seam bowling all-rounders in Dwaine Pretorius and Raymon Reifer.
With their spin lot of Gudakesh Motie, Junior Sinclair and skipper Imran Wasim all being solid batsmen down the order, the Warriors will want their big two in Shai Hope and Azam Khan to make up for their misfires in the last game.
One slight worry for the Warriors will be their bowling options, especially with Sinclair struggling in the last game and their front-line lot all conceding over 30 runs despite picking up wickets.
Paul, Pretorius, Tahir and Motie will more than likely shoulder the majority of the responsibility, while Reifer and both Sinclairs will rotate duties in between spells.
The Kings, having won their last game will be entering tonight’s game full of confidence, especially with veteran opener and skipper Faf du Plessis already hitting form.
Wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad will be the X-Factor for the Kings.
Along with his opening partner Johnson Charles, and a dangerous middle-order led by Bhanuka Rajapaska, Akeem Auguste and wicket-keeper Tim Seifert all finding form, St. Lucia will fancy their chances with the bat.
The Kings also have a slightly better bowling attack than the Warriors, with fast-bowlers Alzarri Joseph and South African David Wiese alongside spinners Khary Pierre, Roston Chase in the mix.
One equalizer will be the Afghanistan wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad, who will be a massive threat to the Warriors batsmen.
With South Africans Wiese and Pretorius are both familiar to each other, the West Indies players will be involved in their own battle; with the most intriguing match-up being the timeline battle of the two leg-spinners in 45 year-old Tahir and 19 year-old Ahmad.
Match bowls off from 19:00h at the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, St. Lucia. (C. ROSS)
