Warriors thump Falcons to remain unbeaten

Amazon Warriors 121 for 3 (Hetmyer 49, Hope 47*; Seales 1-21) beat Falcons 116 (Jangoo 37, Nawaz 20; Joseph 3-22) by 7 wickets

Guyana Amazon Warriors cantered to a statement third-consecutive win in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League on Sunday, claiming a commanding seven-wicket victory over hosts the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons.

Shamar Joseph led the visitors’ bowling with figures of 3 for 22, helping to skittle the Falcons for 116 in 17 overs. Player of the match Khary Pierre and captain Imran Tahir also played key roles with the ball before Shimron Hetmyer and Shai Hope combined to complete an emphatic performance.

The Falcons, who were inserted, were restricted to 49 for 2 in the powerplay before the spin duo of Imran Tahir and Mohammad Nabi put the squeeze on in the post-powerplay overs, conceding just 33 runs from overs seven through to 11.

Kusal Perera and Shadab Khan were unable to replicate their heroics from the previous night, as their partnership lasted only two runs due to a chaotic mix-up that resulted in Perera being run out.

With the tail exposed, Joseph turned up the heat. The fast bowler consistently exceeded 150kph during a blistering spell, while the experienced Tahir showcased his skills with a superb display, claiming two wickets. 

The Falcons crumbled to 116 all out, with Jangoo’s 37 the top score, leaving their bowlers with a mountain to climb.

Glenn Phillips and Matthew Nandu then fell cheaply to begin the Warriors’ chase. But Shai Hope quickly took control, restoring the Warriors’ momentum and putting them firmly in command by the end of the Power Play. Hetmyer joined the assault at the other end.

The pair proceeded to dismantle the Falcons' attack with a 42-ball, 99-run partnership, pushing for an early finish. Hetmyer (49 from 19) fell just short of a half-century, edging behind to Jangoo, leaving Quentin Sampson needing just one delivery to put the finishing touches on the victory, launching a maximum as the Warriors wrapped up the chase in 9.5 overs.

Hope, in the meantime, was left unbeaten on 47 (26 balls).

The Falcons will close out their home leg on Tuesday against the Barbados Tridents, while the Warriors have a week to prepare for their next fixture against the Trinbago Knight Riders on the final day of August in Port of Spain.