Trinbago Knight Riders recorded a dramatic two-run win over defending champions Jamaica Tallawahs in the 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) on Sunday.
Jamaica Tallawahs won the toss and chose to field first, producing a disciplined bowling performance to restrict Trinbago Knight Riders to 142-8 after 20 overs. Kelvin Pitman, making his CPL debut, had an outstanding game as he took three wickets, including that of the opposing captain, Kieron Pollard.
The Tallawahs would have a bright start to their chase but would lose four wickets in the first 10 overs to find themselves in trouble. Waqar Salamkheil and Andre Russell, would prove decisive, taking five wickets between them and restricting runs as the Tallawahs faltered to 140-7, losing by just 2 runs.
The Jamaican franchise got off to an ideal start to the game with experienced seamer Mohammad Amir delivering an opening maiden over.
Openers Martin Guptil and Mark Deyal would however bat through the Powerplay and build a solid foundation to the Knight Riders innings with a 58-run partnership. The complexion of the tie would then completely change as the Knight Riders lost three wickets, including that of Nicholas Pooran, for just five runs. Kelvin Pitman, on debut for the Tallawahs, took two of those wickets within the same over in a brilliant display. The Knight Riders attempts to accelerate the scoring were derailed as they would lose five wickets in the last five overs to finish on 142-8.
Jamaica Tallawahs opened their chase with captain Brandon King and Alex Hales, the duo also batting through the powerplay as they put on a 57-run partnership.
Brandon King lost his wicket to the leg spin of Salamkheil; Jermaine Blackwood was also dismissed four balls later to a super Nicholas Pooran catch, and when Shamarh Brooks departed the very next ball, the Tallawahs looked in trouble at 58-3. More wickets would tumble and despite a late flurry of runs from Chris Green and Imad Wasim, they would ultimately lose by two runs in a nail-biting finish.
Trinbago Knight Riders will look to continue their winning form as they play their next four games in front of a home crowd.
Scores: Trinbago Knight Riders 142-8 (Pollard 33, Tucker 30, Deyal 30; Amir 3-20, Pitman 3-27) beat Jamaica Tallawahs 140-7 (King 36, Green 32; Russell 3-34, Salamkheil 2-21) by two runs
The Prix de l’Abbaye is likely to be the next stop for Go Athletico as connections target optimum conditions for their sprinting star at ParisLongchamp.
The five-year-old is yet to finish outside of the first two in three starts for Adrian McGuinness, claiming Listed honours on stable debut at Cork before finishing second in two high-class Curragh sprint events most recently.
Go Athletico does have the option of returning to the Kildare venue for the Group One Flying Five Stakes during the Irish Champions Festival, but it would be somewhat fitting if he were to head to France in search of big-race success on October 1 having raced 26 times there, winning on six occasions, before transferring to Ireland for €165,000 in the spring.
“We have him in the Flying Five but I don’t think the ground will come up soft enough for him,” said Barry Irwin, CEO of Team Valor, who own the horse in partnership with Shamrock Thoroughbreds.
“He’s a very honest horse and he’s going to try every time, but he can’t go unless there is some moisture in the ground and it was just against him last time.
“I don’t think you will see him again until the Abbaye. That’s where we are pointing and depending on what kind of draw he gets and how the ground turns up, he has a tremendous turn of foot and under the right circumstances he can run with the top horses.
“I think five or five and a half furlongs is what he is made for really.”
Twilight Jet turned on the afterburners to fly home and secure Irish Stallion Farms EBF Abergwaun Stakes honours at Tipperary.
Michael O’Callaghan’s four-year-old has always been held in high-regard and had previously struck twice at Group Three level.
However, he has been out of luck in two starts this season as connections have strived to get the colt back to his very best and he was dropped to the minimum distance and Listed level when sent off the 15-8 favourite on Sunday.
Victory looked out of range with a furlong to run as Kieran Cotter’s Dun Na Sead blazed a trail on the front end.
But Twilight Jet found top gear when it mattered most to surge his way to a neck victory over stablemate Lokada, who also did her best work late in the day from a position at the rear of the field.
“It was great, I’m delighted to get Twilight Jet’s head back in front because he hadn’t the most straightforward path to this as he had two surgeries over the winter,” said O’Callaghan.
“He had one for colic and had to have another surgery having slipped, so it has been a long time coming back.
“Last year he blitzed them in the Lacken (Stakes) but went to Royal Ascot and was sick for quite a while. This year was about getting him back slowly, race to race.
“He’ll go for something like the World Trophy (at Newbury) or I might step him up to six (furlongs) but there are a few options for him in the UK. Leigh (Roche, jockey) couldn’t pull him up today and a stiff five or stepping back up to six will suit.”
On the runner up, he added: “Lokada had a lot of headgear on her to try to get her to relax – we have been tricking around with her and always thought she had the ability to get black type.
“They went so hard in front that Colin (Keane, Jockey) was able to get cover to help her relax and she came home well. Today was huge for her and she might be able to win one of these now.”
Aidan O’Brien’s Los Angeles (13-2) kicked the card off in style with an impressive debut performance in the Camas Park Stud Irish EBF Maiden.
The son of Camelot was an ever-lengthening two-and-a-quarter-length victor and having been handed quotes of 33-1 by Paddy Power for next year’s Derby, he is set for a rise in grade for his next start.
Ballydoyle stable representative Chris Armstrong said: “He is a lovely horse and will come on an awful lot. It was a lovely introduction to bring him here and he will be a lovely middle-distance horse for next year.
“He’ll improve a ton for the run and something like the Beresford or the Criterium de Saint-Cloud could be next, but he is a horse to look forward to next year.
“Seamus (Heffernan, jockey) gave him a lovely introduction and what he does at two will be a bonus. It’s grand to get him out now and see where he fits into the pecking order.”
Also making a taking debut was Jessica Harrington’s Sea The Boss (5-1), who pulled well clear of 15-8 favourite Quickstepping in the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden to book her ticket to the valuable series finale later in the autumn.
Harrington said: “We have always liked her, we liked her in the spring and she grew a lot. She is a fine looker and is only a frame filly, so is next year’s model.
“We’ll see what we do and there is the final of this series at Naas (on October 15) for her.”
In an afternoon where debutants came to the fore, Caracal made the perfect stable bow for Joseph O’Brien in the Meadowview Stables Race.
The Al Shaqab Racing-owned gelding made three starts for Jean-Claude Rouget in France before switching to the Owning Hill handler and having successfully returned from over 500 days off the track, could now be set sterner tests moving forwards.
O’Brien said: “It’s great to get our first winner for Al Shaqab (Racing) – we haven’t had many runners for them and it’s great to get the first win.
“He had been working smartly at home but had been off the track for a long time, so today was very much about getting him started. I thought it was a good performance against some good, solid horses.
“He obviously had a hold-up in France, was off the track for an extended period of time with an injury and we have had him for the last few months. We’ve liked him since he arrived, he will head for stakes level and is a nice horse going forward.
“He was a little keen and fresh in the race, I think he’ll stay further and there is a Listed race in Cork over a mile which he could potentially go to, but we’ll see how he pulls up first.”
On Friday night, September 1, 2023, the University of Iowa celebrated the induction of Jamaican field-event athlete Peaches Roach Findlay into their prestigious Hall of Fame. The honor comes as a testament to her outstanding achievements during her collegiate career at the university, where she left an indelible mark on the track and field program.
During her time at the University of Iowa from 2003 to 2007, Peaches Roach Findlay emerged as a standout athlete. She was a four-time All-American, a 10-time regional qualifier, and a five-time Big 10 Conference Champion. In 2004, she earned the coveted title of Big 10 Freshman of the Year, setting the stage for a remarkable journey in the world of athletics.
Her athletic journey began at Alpha Academy in Kingston, Jamaica, before she embarked on a life-changing scholarship opportunity at the University of Iowa. Her dedication and talent led to numerous accolades, including a gold medal for Jamaica in the heptathlon at the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games in Puerto Rico.
Beyond her success in the heptathlon, Roach Findlay was a three-time Jamaican high jump champion. She also proudly represented Jamaica at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India, where she secured a commendable fourth-place finish in the heptathlon.
Today, Peaches Roach Findlay has transitioned from her days as a star athlete to become a high school science teacher in North Carolina. She shares her life with her husband, Adrian Findlay, who himself represented Jamaica as a 400m runner and won a silver medal as a member of Jamaica's 4x400m relay team at the 2008 World Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain. Together, they are proud parents of two beautiful children.
Upon receiving this prestigious induction into the University of Iowa Hall of Fame, Peaches Roach Findlay shared her heartfelt sentiments in an exclusive chat with Sportsmax.TV.
"It means the world to me. This is a result of me making the right decision despite many questioning my choice to go to The University of Iowa. There were only 221 student athletes inducted in the last 34 years. So as a Jamaican field-event athlete, this puts me in the top one percent of all UI student athletes. That is an honor I don't take lightly,” she remarked.
“I'm grateful to have achieved four All-American titles, five Big 10 Championship titles, and a standing school record for indoor and outdoor track and field in the high jump. It is exactly 20 years since I was just a freshman coming from Alpha, coached by the great Kavon Lewis of Kingston College, so to be here today with my husband and children after years of sacrifice, it's a blessing and I'm proud."
Reflecting on her favorite memory from her college years in competition, she reminisced, "My sophomore year, we had an intra-squad meet where I high jumped 6ft (1.83m). That was a moment I remember because it was the first time I got back to jumping at this height since leaving Jamaica. Freshman year was quite a transition, and even though I had a stellar first year earning Freshman of the Year, this jump was a personal milestone for me."
As an experienced international student athlete, the now retired athlete offered valuable advice to others embarking on a similar journey, saying, "Because things are different here, you have to seek out and utilize all of the resources - financial, educational, and mental - that are available to you. People will help you when you ask and position yourself to receive."
The induction of Peaches Roach Findlay into the University of Iowa Hall of Fame serves as a testament to her dedication, talent, and the remarkable journey she has undertaken since her days as a student-athlete. Her story is a source of inspiration for aspiring athletes from her home country of Jamaica.
Sauterne finished with a flourish to deny the front-running Big Rock a top-level success in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp.
Having picked up the silver medal behind Ace Impact in the the French Derby and Inspiral in the Prix Jacques le Marois, the Christopher Head-trained Big Rock sent off favourite to make it third time lucky in Group One company and went straight to the front in the hands of Aurelien Lemaitre.
After setting a sound gallop before easing off the pace, Lemaitre kicked again on the home bend and soon had the majority of his rivals in trouble in behind.
However, it became clear in the final furlong that Big Rock’s exertions were beginning to take their toll and he was unable to resist the late charge of Sauterne and Tony Piccone.
The winner, who placed in the French 1000 Guineas, the Prix Jean Prat and the Prix Rothschild earlier this season, was completing a big-race double on the card for trainer Patrice Cottier following the victory of the Champion Stakes-bound Horizon Dore in the Prix du Prince d’Orange.
Adam Senior, Tisshorna Robinson and Jovaughn McFarlane were the stars of the night at the second staging of the Jamaica Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Association (JABBFA) National Senior Championships held at the AC Hotel in Kingston, Jamaica on Saturday.
Senior first claimed the prize as Mr. Jamaica in the heavyweight bodybuilding division before later taking the overall prize as Mr. Jamaica, defending the title he won in 2022.
Robinson also took home multiple awards on the night, claiming honors in the Bikini Fitness Tall Class before taking the title as Ms. Jamaica Bikini Fitness Overall.
McFarlane was the winner in the Men’s Physique Tall Class before being named as the overall winner as Mr. Jamaica for Men’s Physique Overall.
Rayon Jones, who finished as runner-up to Senior in the heavyweight division, took top spot in the classic bodybuilding category.
The Mr. Jamaica Muscular Physique category was won by Alex Mullings who also took top spot in the Men’s Physique Medium Class.
Andrew Chisolm came out on top in the Mr. Jamaica Master’s Bodybuilding category. He also finished third in the heavyweight category.
The Mr. Jamaica Bodybuilding Middleweight tile was won by Nicholas Campbell who was also runner-up in Classic Bodybuilding.
Nicholas Wilson took the Light heavyweight crown before finishing as runner-up in the Men’s Physique Medium Class.
The Men’s Physique Short Class was won by Wayne McCollough while Aldane Taylor took top spot in the Men’s Classic Physique category.
On the women’s side, Ashane Gordon-Morrison won the Miss Jamaica Body Fitness and Women’s Physique awards while Deana Wheatle took the Bikini Fitness Short Class.
Having provided Tom Clover with a first Royal Ascot success earlier in the season, Rogue Millennium will attempt to break new ground once again when she heads to Leopardstown during the Irish Champions Festival.
Neither Clover or owners the Rogues Gallery have ever had a runner in Ireland, but that will all change when their star filly bids for Group One glory in the Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes.
The daughter of Dubawi has been an ultra-consistent performer this term and having successfully dropped back to a mile at the Royal meeting, she will continue to ply her trade over that distance despite failing to figure in her most recent outing in Deauville.
Her handler is under no illusion about the task at hand, with possible rivals including Dermot Weld’s Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Tahiyra.
However, Clover has been encouraged by what he has seen on the gallops and is hoping she can hit the frame in her latest big-race objective.
He said: “We’ve got her in three races and at the moment she’s in really good form and we’re looking at going for the Matron. Fingers crossed for a smooth run and there is a good chance she will line up at Leopardstown.
“She’s been terrific for the Rogues Gallery, who have been massive supporters of the yard and it would be nice if she can continue the journey we’ve been on so far.
“It will be nice if we can pick up some Group One black type, that would be terrific, but if she doesn’t then she owes us nothing, she has been an absolute superstar.
“She seems in very good form. It’s very hard to get a Group One, they are obviously very competitive, but she’s been training nicely so hopefully she has a squeak.”
September could prove a big month for the Newmarket-based handler and the Rogues Gallery syndicate as another of their charges, Rogue Lightning, is on course for a step up in class at Doncaster’s St Leger Festival.
The son of Kodiac was placed at Listed level as a juvenile before losing his way slightly, but has been transformed since being gelded and dropping back to the minimum distance, winning his last two starts.
Now up to a rating of 107, Clover is eyeing a run at Listed level in the Betfred Scarbrough Stakes on September 17, while inspired by Live In The Dream’s shock Nunthorpe triumph recently, the Kremlin House trainer has handed the three-year-old a lofty big-race entry for ParisLongchamp later in the autumn.
“He’s a horse we have always liked and the owners have been very patient with him,” continued Clover.
“He lost his way a bit at the back-end of last year and the early part of this year, but gelding him and dropping him back to five furlongs seems to have really helped.
“He is up to 107 now, so it is certainly worth having a crack at stakes company and I would imagine we might look at the Scarbrough Stakes, all being well.
“It makes sense to go back to where he has been victorious and hopefully he can remain in good form and go and run a nice race again at Doncaster.
“I did actually stick him in the Abbaye because everyone saw the Nunthorpe winner (Live In The Dream) was rated 107 and we’ve got the same mark. He’s a really quick horse, so it’s nice to have the option.”
Mick Appleby’s star juvenile Big Evs will put Nunthorpe disappointment behind him and press on with his sprint campaign.
The Blue Point colt scored at two of the biggest summer meetings when landing the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot and then the Molecomb at Goodwood.
Both contests are restricted to two-year-olds, but his success inspired connections to step markedly up in grade and take on older horses in the Group One Nunthorpe at York’s Ebor meeting.
The bay was a 5-1 chance under Andrea Atzeni when banking a weight allowance for his age, but the race never looked his for the taking as he faded to finish 14th of 16 runners.
Big Evs trotted up sound after the run and was found to be bearing no ill effects, leaving Appleby to conclude that he had simply had a harder race than first thought at Goodwood.
With the horse in good health, there are no plans to cut his season short and he could head next for the Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster before an American foray is planned to take aim at the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.
“He’s absolutely fine, he came back fine and we had bloods taken and couldn’t find anything amiss,” Appleby said.
“He trotted up sound, I think it’s just that he had a lot harder race at Goodwood than we thought.
“It was a big ask for a two-year-old against older horses at this time of year, but I think it was more that – he’d just had a hard enough race at Goodwood and it came a couple of weeks too soon for him.
“He’s come out of it well, anyway, so we’ll just dust ourselves down and go again.
“He’ll possibly go to the Flying Childers and then the main aim is the Breeders’ Cup.
“It’s an easy five furlongs, it’s on the turf at Santa Anita and that should suit him so provided it doesn’t hammer down with rain, we’ll head there.”
Nashwa is set to throw her hat into the ring for next weekend’s Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes following a pleasing workout in Newmarket on Saturday morning.
Having secured her third Group One victory with a dominant performance in the Falmouth at Newmarket in mid-July, John and Thady Gosden’s filly has since finished third in the Nassau at Goodwood and second in the Juddmonte International at York.
She now looks set to take on the boys once more at Leopardstown, with dual Derby hero Auguste Rodin and King Edward VII Stakes winner and King George third King Of Steel among her potential rivals.
Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to Nashwa’s owner Imad Al Sagar, said: “We are positive, she did a nice little bit with Hollie solo on the Limekilns yesterday morning and everyone’s very happy.
“It seems the right spot to go for. She’s come out of York very well and Imad’s excited about going to Leopardstown next weekend.
“She’s in great shape and we’re looking forward to it.”
The Saint Lucia Kings reclaimed top spot in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with a dominant 90-run victory over the Barbados Royals at Kensington Oval on Saturday.
The Royals won the toss and opted to field first, but they were to run into Johnson Charles in imperious form. The opener blasted 78 and contributions at the back end saw the Kings post a healthy 195-6.
In reply, the Royals chase was over before it began as they lost the top five batters inside the PowerPlay. They never recovered from that huge setback and were eventually all out for 105.
Scores: St Lucia Kings 195-6 (20 overs); Barbados Royals 105 all out (17.3 overs)
The Kings got their innings off to a tremendous start led by the power of Johnson Charles.
Having reached 69/0 at the end of the PowerPlay the foundation was set for a huge total, and they were able to reach 97 before the loss of their first wicket, Colin Munro holing out to the deep square boundary for 33.
Sean Williams stay at the crease was a brief one but at the other end Charles continued to make hay. Only when Jason Holder returned in the 16th over did the Kings momentum get momentarily halted. Two wickets in the over saw the departure of Shadrack Descarte and Charles himself for 78.
However, quick-fire contributions at the death from Roshon Primus, Sikander Raza and Roston Chase ensured the Kings set an imposing total.
The Royals never got to grips with the chase and were effectively out of the contest by the end of the PowerPlay.
Alzarri Joseph, Matthew Forde and Roshon Primus were destroyers in chief as they ran through the top five batters to leave the Royals 40/5 at the end of the first six overs.
Despite a few big hits from the lower middle order the Royals suffered without a firm base to build from and eventually folded for 105 all out.
The victory for the Kings sent them back to the top of the table, while Barbados Royals will look to bounce back against St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in the last game of their home leg on Sunday at 6:00pm Jamaica time. Prior to that, Jamaica Tallawahs will battle Trinbago Knight Riders at 8:00am, while Barbados Royals women will lock horns with Guyana Amazon Warriors women at 1:30pm.
Outsider Essential Quality burst the bubbles of her more favoured rivals, as she turned the third running of the Winston “Fanna” Griffiths Classic into a procession at Caymanas Park on Saturday.
Another levelheaded ride by jockey Raddesh Roman saw the Oral Hayden-owned and trained chestnut filly, proving the class of the three-year-old Graded Stakes contest in a gate-to-wire performance over 9-1/2 furlongs (1,900m) at long odds of 30-1.
With not much pace present in the race, the indication was that Fitzroy Glispie’s overwhelming 4-5 favourite Money Miser (Shamaree Muir) or stablemate Princess Sharon (Paul Francis) would have dictated terms on the headline, but the connections of Essential Quality had other ideas.
From the one draw in the nine-horse field, the Sensational Slam-Texas Missy progeny, was sent straight to the lead by Roman, with Princess Sharon and Burlap (Javaniel Patterson) in tow, as the flashed past the clubhouse turn and hit the backstretch.
At that point Money Miser, though more than five lengths behind, seemed fairly comfortable and poised to make a late strike when the leaders falter.
But that was not to be as Roman and Essential Quality quickened past the five-furlong mark and later opened up a gap on Burlap, who tried but failed to apply pressure on the leader leaving the half-mile.
From there, it was Essential Quality against the clock as the filly barely look winded when she straightened in the homestretch and even found when asked by Roman, who later eased up and stood tall in the saddle for the rest of the way.
She completed the distance in 2:03.0, after splits of 25.1, 49.4, 1:14.2 and 1:40.1.
Princess Sharon stayed on for second nine lengths behind, while Richie Rich (Reyan Lewis) and Money Miser (Shamaree Muir), both inevitably hit top stride but were a long way off the winner in third and fourth respectively.
The Ham Stables-bred Essential Quality in landing the lion’s share of the $3.75 million purse, registered her third career win in eight starts.
Meanwhile, trainer Peter-John Parsard and jockeys Tevin Foster, Phillip Parchment, and Reyan Lewis each had two winners on the 10-race card.
Parsard saddled Sunshine Cat (Oneil Mullings) in the seventh race and Rojorn Di Pilot (Omar Walker) in the 10th event.
Foster’s winners were the Michael Marlowe-conditioned Jack of Spades in the second race and Anthony Nunes’s Captain Calico in the fifth. Parchment won aboard Steven Todd’s Magical Mood in the third race and Traditional Boy for trainer Gordon Lewis in the sixth.
Lewis won the fourth race aboard Sensational Satin for trainer Byron Davis, and the eighth with Jason DaCosta’s Lion of Ekati.
Barbados Royals made light work of chasing 74 to stay unbeaten from their opening round of fixtures in the Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) at Kensington Oval, Barbados.
After chasing a record 167 two days ago in their opener, Hayley Matthews’ side made the most of their chances against the Trinbago Knight Riders.
The visitors were without their captain and most experienced international Deandra Dottin and exciting new overseas Orla Prendergast for their opening match of their WCPL defence.
Trinbago Knight Riders never got going with the bat despite winning the toss and opting to bat first, with only one player reaching double figures as the side capitulated to 73 all out.
The Royals didn’t hang around in their pursuit of the total knocking off 74 for four wickets inside 11 overs after an explosive powerplay started the chase strongly.
The Knight Riders reached 32-1 from their steady PowerPlay. Kycia Knight made a good start as she scored at just shy of a run a ball in the first six overs, however when she was dismissed by Erin Burns, the visitors fell from 36-2 to 73 all out.
Spin dominated for Matthews’ side as it had in their first match on Thursday, taking eight wickets for 54 runs, bowling 12.4 of the 16.4 bowled overs. Australian pairing Erin Burns and Amanda-Jade Wellington were the stars with 3/19 and 2/13, respectively.
The Royals in response got off to a fast start in the powerplay, the captain leading off with a quickfire 19, supported by Gaby Lewis on the back of a score of 47, reached a run-a-ball 27, the hosts surpassing 50 inside the PowerPlay.
Matthews’ side endured a setback as they three wickets for 11 runs between overs five to nine with Knight Riders’ spinners enjoying some consolation wicket taking, although it wasn’t enough to affect the result.
Barbados Royals are back in action for a third-consecutive match tomorrow, as they face Guyana Amazon Warriors in a repeat of the 2023 WCPL opener.
The Guyana Amazon Warriors are now at the top of the Caribbean Premier League points table after a dominant 98-run win over the St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots at the Kensington Oval on Saturday.
The Amazon Warriors first posted 186-6 from their 20 overs after the Patriots won the toss and chose to field first.
All-rounder Keemo Paul followed up his 56 in their last game with an unbeaten 41 off 31 balls including one four and three sixes.
Shimron Hetmyer (36), Dwayne Pretorius (27) and Romario Shepherd with a rapid seven-ball 26 provided excellent contributions to the Amazon Warriors total.
Oshane Thomas continued his return to form this season with 3-26 from three overs.
The Patriots, who are now winless after seven games, could then muster only 88 off 17.1 overs in another awful batting performance.
Corbin Bosch scored the bulk of the runs with a run-a-ball 27.
Dwayne Pretorius was the star with the ball with 3-17 from three overs while West Indies left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie took 2-15 from four overs.
The Amazon Warriors are now top of the table with seven points from four games.
Guyana Amazon Warriors moved to the top of the 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with a comfortable 98-run victory over the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots at Kensington Oval on Saturday.
The Patriots won the toss and opted to field first and that initially appeared to be an inspired decision when the Warriors were restricted to 55-4 inside the first seven overs. But excellent batting at the backend by Keemo Paul and Romario Shepherd, in particular, powered the Warriors to an imposing 186-6
In reply, the Patriots wobbled from the start and were never able to recover, much less to get close to the victorious total, as they were bowled out for a paltry 88.
Scores: Guyana Amazon Warriors 186-6 (20 overs); St Kitts and Nevis Patriots 88 all out (17.1 overs)
The Amazon Warriors initially had a good start to the Powerplay, racing to 32 inside the first three overs, before Oshane Thomas struck twice in the fourth over to restore some semblance of parity to the game. brought the Patriots into the game.
He had Saim Ayub (21) caught on the boundary and Hazratullah Zazai (seven) caught by wicketkeeper Andre Fletcher.
Two wickets became four when George Linde dismissed Azam Khan (six) and Thomas returned to pick up Shai Hope's scalp for 13, to leave the Amazon Warriors in trouble at 55-4.
However, the Guyanese pair of Shimron Hetmyer and Paul put on a 57-run partnership to rebuild the innings, before Dominic Drakes dismissed Hetmyer for a well-played 22-ball 36, which included three sixes and one four.
Dwaine Pretorius and Paul combined to put together another 48 from 31 balls to ensure the Warriors entered the backend of the innings with significant momentum. The former eventually fell for 27, but Shepherd came and slammed three sixes and a four in a seven-ball cameo of 27 to leave the Patriots an imposing 187 for victory.
Paul ended unbeaten on 41 off 31 balls, his innings also had three sixes and a four.
Thomas was the pick of the Patriots bowlers with three for 26 from three overs.
The Patriots would have backed themselves to get to their target, but some poor shot selection made the task even more difficult than it was before. They lost Andre Fletcher (11), Evin Lewis (seven), Will Smeed (two) and Sherfane Rutherford (two), inside the PowerPlay and continued to lose wickets at regular intervals.
Chris Bosch with a run-a-ball 27 was the only batsman to offer any real resistance, against Pretorius's three for 17 and Gudakesh Motie's two for 15, as the Warriors romped to a third-straight win and remain the only unbeaten team in the league.
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