Guyana Amazon Warriors moved back into the top four of the 2021 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) table with a 17-run victory over the Saint Lucia Kings.

The Amazon Warriors won the toss and elected to bat first, but they had to overcome an early wobble to post a competitive total led by Brandon King’s enterprising 77.

In reply, the Kings looked as if they were in cruise control when Roston Chase and Tim David put together a big partnership but excellent death bowling tightened the screws and the Kings succumbed to the pressure.

Having been supplanted in the top four by Jamaica Tallawahs earlier in the day, Guyana needed a win to reignite their competition. However, three early wickets in the PowerPlay put them on the backfoot as Wahab Riaz and Jeavor Royal made the early breakthroughs.

 King came to the Amazon Warriors rescue with his first Hero CPL 50 of the season but other than Nicholas Pooran’s 25 no batsmen was able to stick with King.

Once King fell for his sparkling 77, Odean Smith was able to add some maximums to take Guyana to a challenging total of 151.

Saint Lucia Kings were circumspect in their early reply and found themselves three wickets down with 43 runs on the board.  Gudakesh Motie’s parsimonious spin bowling saw him take 2 for 12 from his four overs to keep the Amazon Warriors well in the hunt.

Roston Chase and Tim David put together a boundary-laden partnership of 75 from 63 balls but just as it seemed they would take the Kings home, Naveen Ul-Haq and Odean Smith bowled four excellent overs to seal two crucial points for the Amazon Warriors.

Chris Barnwell’s maiden List A hundred led Guyana Jaguars to a huge win over Jamaican Scorpions on Sunday night at the Coolidge Cricket Ground. It was their third consecutive victory and took them to the top of the table with 12 points.

With Jaguars in trouble on 21-3 in the ninth over, Barnwell scored 107 off just 90 balls to rescue the innings. The career-best knock surpassed his previous highest of 99 not out.

Wicket-keeper Anthony Bramble followed up by smashing 69 from 49 balls, also the highest score of his List A career. Then lower-order batsman, Ramaal Lewis, hit a whirlwind 35 off 22 balls, to help lift the Jaguars to an imposing 299-9 off their 50 overs.

Barnwell struck four boundaries and six sixes, first adding 91 for the fourth wicket with Akshaya Persaud (25) before putting on a further 88 for the fifth with the attacking Bramble.

Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie then spoiled the Scorpions run chase, as he picked 4-55 to move his tally to nine wickets from three matches.

Seamers Niall Smith (2-15) and Romario Shepherd (2-26) supported with crucial wickets as Scorpions declined from 116-3 in the 28th over, to 190 all out in the 45th over.

Andre McCarthy top-scored with 48 from 55 balls, captain Rovman Powell chipped in with 32 from 44 while Aldaine Thomas scored 29 but the Jamaicans failed to build any meaningful partnerships and lost their second match of the tournament.

Shimron Hetmyer led Jaguars in the absence of injured captain Leon Johnson and noted the side’s winning streak was important. “It’s really nice to be on the winning side to be honest and it’s always good to win back-to-back games. That’s what we always talk about and it’s a good feeling for us,” he said.