Olly Stone denied complacency played a part in England's performance on day two of their final Test against Sri Lanka at The Oval.
England were bowled out for 325 after 69 overs, as Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis helped the tourists reach 211-5 at stumps.
Stone was the pick of the hosts' bowling attack, taking the wickets of Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal while also running out Dimuth Karunaratne.
De Silva, however, was crucially dropped by debutant Josh Hull, as he ended the day on 64 runs from 106 deliveries alongside Mendis (54).
And while England handed Sri Lanka a potential route back into the final Test, Stone was confident that on another day, they could have been out of sight.
"I wouldn't say we were complacent. We've always said about taking the positive option, sometimes you can sit there and take a few blows," Stone said.
"If you put a few chances away it can come out differently. On another day it goes another way, and we get a few on the board."
As it had done on the first day, bad light was a constant threat, resulting in fast bowler Chris Woakes delivering four balls of off-spin.
England had started brightly with the ball in hand, working through Sri Lanka's top order before being stopped in their tracks by De Silva and Mendis.
But the bad light inside The Oval played its part, with the tourists able to chip away at their target after tea.
Stone acknowledged the difficulty of the conditions but had words of praise for Hull after taking his first wicket on his debut.
"It was too dark for our seamers but we tried to take the positive option. We thought we could take wickets with our spinners," Stone said.
"We feel we have the bowlers in any conditions but Sri Lanka played well.
"Hull has been brilliant. He hasn't looked nervous - he has been smiley, he has enjoyed it.
"I know he will be better for taking that wicket and hopefully he can take more in the morning.
"There is no greater job in the world. Going out there with a smile on our face, enjoying it.
"It doesn't feel like international cricket, you are nice and relaxed and out there with your mates."
West Indies pace bowler Chemar Holder has signed for Durham to bolster the side for their final three Championship games of the county season.
The 26-year-old will replace New Zealand's Neil Wagner, who damaged his shoulder against Nottinghamshire in August.
Holder played his sole Test in New Zealand in December 2020 and also appeared in a one-day international against Bangladesh the following month.
“With international call-ups and a number of injuries, it was extremely important to bring in an additional seamer, and we are pleased to have secured a bowler of Holder’s quality," said director of cricket Marcus North.
Holder, who had a spell with Warwickshire in 2021, has taken 89 wickets in 27 first-class matches at an average of 29.60, claiming five or more in an innings on five occasions.
"It feels very good to be a part of Durham and to be playing county cricket for a second time," the Barbadian said.
He will be available for Monday's game against Lancashire at the Riverside.
Sri Lanka duo Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis frustrated England's bowling attack to ensure the tourists finished day two of the final Test on 211-5.
England resumed on 221-3 after bad light limited Friday's play, with Ollie Pope having reached his seventh Test century shortly before stumps.
The hosts enjoyed a major reprieve early in the morning session, with Harry Brook inexplicably dropped on 12 by Asitha Fernando after skewing Milan Rathnayake's ball horribly.
Brook's luck soon ran out as Kamindu took a stunning catch off his drive, but Pope was more fortunate to survive an lbw review after appearing to have been trapped for 139 by Vishwa Fernando's delivery.
Pope made it to 154 before being caught in the deep by Dimuth Karunaratne, Sri Lanka's second wicket in three balls, as they went on to make light work of the England tail.
Olly Stone was the pick of England's bowlers, taking 2-28 after first running out Sri Lanka opener Dimuth Karunaratne, while Chris Woakes dismissed Kusal Mendis before debutant Josh Hull took his first Test wicket, ending Pathum Nissanka's brilliant knock of 64, with Woakes taking a fantastic catch at cover.
Yet Hull dropped a gilt-edged chance to send Dhananjaya packing, and the Sri Lanka captain took full advantage, moving onto 64, with Kamindu on 54 at the other end, by the time bad light stopped play with the tourists trailing by 114.
Data Debrief: Kamindu England's bogeyman
Kamindu's tally has come from just 70 deliveries, at a strike rate of 77.14. He has scored 70+ in two of his last three Test innings against England, and he is well on course to make that three from four.
England stuttered in the field after an excellent start to defending their lead, though the hosts should still be confident. After all, they are undefeated in their last eight Tests at home (W7 D1).
Australia overcame a rough start to their innings to ease to a six-wicket victory over Scotland in the teams' third T20I on Saturday, clinching a series sweep at The Grange.
Having been inspired to comprehensive victories by some expert batting from Travis Head and Josh Inglis in the first two matches of the tour, the visitors found themselves dropped to 18-2 as they chased a target of 150.
Scotland had been led by Brandon McMullen's 56 runs off 39 balls as they achieved a respectable figure despite the best efforts of Cameron Green, who finished with figures of 3-35 for the tourists.
It was also McMullen whose terrific diving catch sent Jake Fraser-McGurk walking for a duck before Head (12) swept Brad Currie's fourth-over delivery straight to George Munsey to put Australia in a spot of bother.
However, Green replicated his bowling heroics with the bat, hitting an unbeaten 62 off 39 balls to ensure Scotland's joy was short-lived.
Even the wicket of captain Mitchell Marsh, who dragged on for 31 runs from Jack Jarvis' rasping delivery in the 10th over, could not halt the tourists' momentum, and they got over the line with 23 balls to spare for just one further loss.
Data Debrief: Green shows all-round credentials
Australia's third straight victory in Edinburgh was slightly more testing than their previous two as the top order faltered, but they could count on an exceptional all-round showing from Green.
Having taken three wickets in a T20I for the very first time, he proceeded to also register his best batting performance in the format, beating his previous best of 61 versus India in 2022.
Had Scotland succeeded in setting a more challenging target, Green might have had his eyes on an even more impressive total, having slammed five sixes and two fours.
Nyeem Young kept his composure at the death as Barbados Royals broke the hearts of St Kitts & Nevis Patriots with a thrilling two-wicket victory in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
The Royals appeared set for a crushing win when they reduced the Patriots to 0/3 before weathering a rapid 82-run partnership between Wanindu Hasaranga and Mikyle Louis.
After restricting the Patriots to 153/8 at Warner Park, the Royals lost Rahkeem Cornwall and Quinton de Kock early and the match was at a knife’s edge throughout a nerve-jangling chase.
Needing eight runs off the last over bowled by Ryan John, the Royals’ nerves heightened when Jason Holder fell off the first ball after a superb catch at deep backward square by Josh Clarkson.
But Young luckily inside edged to the boundary off the third ball before smashing a brilliant six over mid-off on the penultimate delivery as the Royals won consecutive games to start the season
It was their fifth straight victory against the Patriots, who are at the foot of the table with just one win.
The Patriots made a poor start after being sent in to bat when their top three batters were dismissed for ducks—the first time that has occurred in CPL history.
Spinner Maheesh Theekshana started the carnage on the second ball of the innings when he pinned Evin Lewis lbw. Two balls later, Theekshana produced a cracking delivery that spun sharply and through the defences of Kyle Mayers, who trudged off in disbelief.
The Patriots lost their third wicket when Andre Fletcher was lbw to Dunith Wellalage before the match suddenly flipped through a counterattack from Hasaranga and Louis as the Royals suddenly struggled for control amid an onslaught.
Naveen-ul-Haq was on the receiving end and leaked 16 runs to cap a madcap PowerPlay.
But Louis holed out in the ninth over leading to another collapse where the Patriots also lost Sherfane Rutherford and Hasaranga in the space of six balls.
It could have been worse for the Patriots when Clarkson was given out lbw to Theekshana before he successfully reviewed. Clarkson struggled to get going, but batted through to the end and received support from John who smacked 29 off 14 balls.
Just like the Patriots, the Royals lost a wicket on the second ball after Mayers knocked over Cornwall for a duck. Speedster Anrich Nortje had compatriot de Kock wincing in pain after a blow to the body before the batter hit back with a six over fine leg.
De Kock was cleaned bowled in the fifth over by Mayers, who had patiently persisted around the wicket.
Wellalage battled calmly through the middle overs before Young’s late heroics sealed a thrilling triumph for the Royals.
Former England captain Moeen will be joining the defending champions, replacing Pakistan batsman Saim Ayub who is unavailable.
The batting all-rounder’s availability is dependent on his team’s progression in T20 Blast in the UK.
In the interim, New Zealand’s Tim Robinson has been selected as a temporary replacement for Moeen. When Moeen arrives, the 22-year-old Robinson will remain with the Warriors to act as a temporary replacement for Rahmaullah Gurbaz.
Afghanistan powerhouse Gurbaz will leave the squad for international duties after the Barbados leg of the competition. Robinson will take his place in the squad until Gurbaz returns for the Guyana leg of the tournament.
Westmoreland overpowered Kensington to become the undisputed champion of the 33rd Kingston Wharves U15 Cricket competition at the Ultimate Cricket Ground in Discovery Bay St. Ann recently.
Westmoreland shared the championship twice in the distant past but became the sole champion this year, winning all its matches in the preliminary round, quarterfinal, semifinal and the final.
Wining the final was not always a surety during the match as Kensington restricted Westmoreland to 115 all out in 28.4 overs and threatened the score for a while as well as the lengthy rain delay during Kensington’s innings.
The match MVP, Westmoreland’s Humario Reid shouldered the batting when he scored 80 runs from 81 deliveries and was the only batsman to get into double figures. The bulk of the wickets went to Zachary Buchanan who took seven for 33 while Andrew Lloyd got two for 32.
Kensington started positively but lost its first wicket at 15 and then had a steady progression of batsmen returning to the pavilion, and was on seven for 27 at one point. There was a rain delay when they were in the thirties. They returned to the crease and steadied the inning but when they lost their eight wicket on 73, the writing was on the wall. They were eventually all out for 77 in 34.4 overs and lost the match by 38 runs to Westmoreland.
Kensington’s captain Andrew Lloyd was the main run getter with 45 while Abraham Waugh, the only other batsman to get into double figures contributed 14 runs. The wickets were shared among Jemar Morgan three for 12, captain Ryan Littleton three for 23 and Davere Buchanan two for 17.
Westmoreland’s coach Grantley Reid was very happy with the result.
“I am (happy) because we have been here before but we had to share. For the work that was put in because the journey did not begin with this competition. Most of the boys have been to quarter finals but we never made it through but I knew we had the depth to win this competition and they delivered. Even when we were in deep trouble, because at one point Kensington made a fight of the match. They played well to come back from where they were because we thought it would have been over before they reach 50 but they fought well. They played well. They had heart. They have a young team.”
The awards ceremony followed immediately after the match. There were several awards including the MVP for the final – Humario Reid, the teams’ MVPs – Westmoreland’s Ryan Littleton with 13 wickets and 236 runs and Kensington’s Abraham Waugh who bagged 21 wickets and 156 runs during the competition.
Some of the highlights recorded for this year were; four centuries (same as last year), 15 five-wicket hauls by 12 different bowlers and four batsmen scored over 200 runs each.
Simone Murdock, corporate services and client experience manager at Kingston Wharves was also happy with this year’s competition. “We are glad to see a successful year come to an end. As said in the (closing) ceremony we are finally returning to scores similar to the years before Covid so we are glad to see that we are on the right track and to celebrate with Westmoreland.”
The Jamaica Cricket Association’s president, Dr. Donovan Bennett who watched most of the final, promised a better competition going forward based on the association’s plans to increase its investment in junior level cricket.
“We are working hard to ensure that where we were pre Covid, that we get back there as soon as we possibly can.”
Ben Duckett hailed Ollie Pope's resilience after the stand-in England captain shook off his poor form to hit his seventh Test century in the third Test versus Sri Lanka.
Bad light limited play on day one of the final test at The Oval on Friday, but Pope made good on the time allowed to smash 103 runs off as many deliveries.
Standing in to lead the team with Ben Stokes out injured, Pope had failed to make more than 17 runs in any of his first four innings in the series, being limited to single figures on three occasions.
Friday's ton, though, was his third in Tests this year, after knocks of 121 versus West Indies in July and 196 in India in January. Only eight England batters have accomplished that feat, and Pope is the first to do so since Gary Ballance in 2014.
He is also the first batter in history to hit his first seven Test tons against seven different opponents, in Sri Lanka, West Indies, India, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa and Pakistan.
Duckett, who himself fell short of his fourth red-ball century as he went for 86 runs off 79 balls, was delighted to see Pope quieten the doubters.
"Everyone is so happy for anyone's success in this dressing room, it's an incredible place to be," Duckett told Sky Sports.
"There was a lot of noise around Ollie. There shouldn't be but there has been and I know what it’s like at the top of the order and he's had a far better summer than I have.
"To block that out and score an incredible 100 was so good, you could see that from his emotions. We’re all extremely happy for him.
"People are paid to give their opinion, which is completely fair enough and I saw Pope say that last week.
"To go two games without a big score is not a long time and facing the new ball in England, I know how tricky it can be. For Pope to go out there and express himself at a ground that he loves, it's just credit to him."
Unbeaten on 103, Pope will return to the crease alongside Harry Brook (8) on Saturday, with England 221-3 as they chase a series whitewash.
Stand-in captain Ollie Pope put his recent woes behind him with a magnificent century as England cruised to 221-3 on day one of the third Test versus Sri Lanka at The Oval.
Pope had overseen back-to-back victories at Old Trafford and Lord's in Ben Stokes' absence but had struggled with his own form, failing to score more than 17 runs in any of his four innings in the series to date.
Things turned around for him on Friday, though, as he helped the hosts build a handsome lead with six wickets still in hand ahead of day two.
England were initially frustrated by bad light during the morning session, with a delay of almost three hours ensuing after Ben Duckett helped the hosts to 80-1 following the early loss of Dan Lawrence (5).
Duckett counted nine fours and two sixes among his 86 runs off 79 balls before he scooped Milan Rathnayake's slow delivery into the waiting hands of Dinesh Chandimal.
Joe Root then struggled to match Duckett's pace and he walked for 13 off 48 balls when he sliced Lahiru Kumara's delivery straight to Asitha Fernando in the deep.
However, Pope took the reins from there and put his poor recent form behind him with a speedy ton off 102 balls, with bad light stopping play for the final time immediately after he brought up three figures with a four, much to the frustration of the home fans.
Pope (102 not out) and Harry Brook (8 not out) will resume at the crease on Saturday, as England target a 3-0 series whitewash and a perfect Test summer.
Data Debrief: Pope's redemption
Figures of 6, 6, 17 and 1 through his four innings with the bat had somewhat sullied Pope's experience of captaining England in this series, but the stand-in skipper had a far more positive experience on Friday.
He put recent criticism of his performances to one side with an assured knock, hitting 13 fours and two maximums to ensure England made the most of limited play.
It is his seventh Test century overall, and his third of 2024 after knocks of 121 versus West Indies in July and 196 in India in January. Only eight England batters have accomplished that feat, and Pope is the first to do so since Gary Ballance in 2014.
Josh Inglis' record-breaking hundred helped Australia wrap up a series victory over Scotland, winning the second T20I by 70 runs at The Grange on Friday.
Inglis struck seven fours and seven sixes in a ruthless batting display, becoming the quickest player in Australian history to reach 100 runs in the 20-over format.
The tourists had earlier got off to a poor start with the bat as Travis Head was bowled out for a duck by Brad Currie (3-37) in the first over.
Jake Fraser-McGurk (16) would follow shortly after, only for Inglis to take control of proceedings as he reached his ton in just 43 balls, putting Australia in a strong position.
He would eventually fall victim to Chris Sole in the 18th over, with Cameron Green (36), Marcus Stoinis (20) and Tim David (17) helping to set Scotland a target of 197.
The hosts then found themselves with a mountain to climb, having seen four wickets fall before the halfway stage of their innings.
Brandon McMullen's knock of 59 offered Scotland a glimpse of a comeback, but the wickets continued to tumble as Stoinis (4-23) ripped through their lower order, sealing the triumph with the wicket of Chris Greaves (6).
Data Debrief: Record breaker Inglis
Inglis was the star of the show for the tourists, recording the quickest ton for Australia in T20Is, from just 43 deliveries.
He also recorded the joint-fastest century by a designated wicketkeeper-batter from a full-time nation, equalling South African Quinton de Kock's 43-ball hundred against West Indies in 2023.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced the departure of Graeme West, who will step down from his role as High Performance Manager on September 30, 2024, after 12 years of distinguished service. West, who joined CWI on June 1, 2012, as the Head Coach of the High Performance Centre at Cave Hill, Barbados, leaves behind a lasting legacy of development and success within West Indies cricket.
During his tenure, West oversaw several critical initiatives aimed at building the future of West Indies cricket. From his time as Head Coach of the West Indies Under-19 Men’s team, where he led them to World Cup glory in 2016, to his leadership in creating the Men’s and Women’s Academy programs at Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) in Antigua, West has been a key figure in nurturing emerging talent. He also played a pivotal role in launching the 12-month U19 Pathway Programmes, which are vital in the continuous development of the region’s youth players.
CWI Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe, expressed his gratitude for West's years of service: “I sincerely thank Graeme for his 12 years of service to West Indies cricket. He has contributed significantly to the development of our High Performance system and has overseen many initiatives that we will continue to grow after he departs. We are grateful for his years of commitment and wish him the best as he turns the page to a new chapter in his career.”
Reflecting on his time with CWI, West spoke about the impact the organization and the region have had on him and his family. “I would like to thank CWI for the opportunities provided to me and my family over the last twelve years. I leave the organization as a more experienced coach, a more rounded leader, and a World Cup winner," he said. "Equally important to me are the relationships I have developed with players, coaches and the staff that have supported me throughout my time at CWI and I am sure will continue to do so in the future. My time spent in the Caribbean will forever hold a special place in my heart. My wife and I have raised our children on the beaches of Barbados and Antigua and we have thoroughly enjoyed and embraced the many cultures and diversity across the region.”
West's 12 years of service saw him based for five years at the High Performance Centre in Barbados and another seven years at CWI’s headquarters in Antigua. Beyond his success with the Under-19 Men’s team, West also served as the Head Coach of the West Indies ‘A’ Team from 2016 to 2018, where he led the team to series victories against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
As High Performance Manager, West has been instrumental in the creation of new pathways for young cricketers, both male and female, laying a foundation for future success in West Indies cricket. His departure marks the end of an era, but his influence will continue to shape the development of talent within the Caribbean for years to come.
Antigua & Barbuda Falcons claimed a dramatic final ball victory over Trinbago Knight Riders to claim their debut victory in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL). An undulating eighth match of the competition at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound saw the Falcons finally take flight at the fifth time of asking, claiming a six-run win and two points that keeps their tournament hopes alive.
Having been put into bat, the Falcons managed to post a competitive total of 176-6, with Fakhar Zaman and Justin Greaves putting on 65 for the first wicket and Imad Wasim (46 off 29 balls) and Fabian Allen (25* off 11 balls) giving the innings some momentum in the second half.
After impressing with the ball in hand, Sunil Narine struggled with the bat, falling for a four-ball duck at the beginning of the Knight Riders’ chase. Player of the Match Fabian Allen added vital wickets to go with his handy hitting. A match turning 10th over saw him prise out Shaqkere Parris lbw for 31 and then pull off a lighting-reflex return catch to dismiss Nicholas Pooran with his very next ball.
Scores: Antigua and Barbuda Falcons 176-6 (20 overs); Trinbago Knight Riders 170-9 (20 overs)
The Knight Riders managed to take the game into the final over and had the chance to make it two wins in two games, with an attainable 14 runs needed off the final six deliveries. Roshon Primus held his nerve for the Falcons after getting flicked for four through midwicket by Akeal Hosein off the first ball of the final over. Terrance Hinds chopped Primus onto his stumps, and Hosein was run out off the penultimate delivery of the match despite Sam Billings’ fumble with the gloves when breaking the stumps.
A nail-biting match thus brought the game down to the last ball, with Waqar Salamkheil needing to strike a six to tie the game and send it to a Super Over. It wasn’t to be. Salamkheil failed to make contact with an attempted lap, the Falcons players swooping around Primus to celebrate an inaugural win.
“We were searching for that win and grateful we got it tonight,” said Fabian Allen in the moments after the Falcons six run victory. “We were searching for 180 but 170-odd was good on this wicket; we defended well. We’re grateful for the crowd; they supported us right through.”
Falcons captain Chris Green was mightily pleased with his side’s ability to show character and defend their total.
“We have had a tough time here at home; we were not at our best in the last couple of games. I’m really happy for the fans and for my team. We still have to carry on playing this positive, aggressive brand of cricket. I think we showed ourselves what we can do. Nothing needs to change.”
Brendon McCullum retains full confidence in Jos Buttler as England's white-ball captain, describing him as his country's best-ever limited-overs cricketer.
McCullum has won plenty of admirers for his aggressive approach to Test cricket in just over two years in charge of England's red-ball side, and earlier this week his remit was expanded to include coaching the ODI and T20I teams until 2027.
The move comes after Matthew Mott quit in the wake of England's semi-final exit at June's T20 World Cup, while they also surrendered their 50-over crown in meek fashion at the 2023 World Cup in India, losing six of their nine games.
While those disappointing tournament performances saw Buttler's leadership placed under the microscope, McCullum is confident he remains the right man to lead the team.
One of the New Zealander's main aims upon taking his new role, which he will formally start in January, is to get Buttler enjoying his cricket again.
"I am very confident in Buttler as captain," he said at a press conference at The Oval. "What I want from Jos is for him to enjoy the next few years.
"If he retired tomorrow, he would probably go down as the greatest white-ball player England have produced so there is a chance, for however long he plays, to not protect anything and play with a smile on his face.
"My job is to push him towards that. He has been a little bit miserable at times, he is not naturally as expressive as some, but he has done a great job.
"He has won a World Cup as captain and been part of World Cup-winning teams previously. He is a gifted player and a fine leader."
Buttler has been ruled out of England's upcoming three-match T20I series against Australia with a calf injury and could also miss the five ODIs that follow.
McCullum's ultra-attacking approach to Test cricket coaching has been dubbed "Bazball", with England winning 19 of 28 Tests under him and averaging 4.57 runs per over, compared to 3.09 in their 29 Tests immediately prior to his appointment.
He intends to bring a similar fearlessness to the white-ball game, saying: "I will bring the positivity and style I like to operate with across all formats and I think it will give us a good chance of being successful.
"The white-ball side has been through a dynasty. They have won World Cups and some once-in-a-generation players have come through at the same time. Now a natural regeneration is required and that's the bit that excites me."
McCullum added he sought the approval of Test skipper Ben Stokes before committing to the new role, and he hopes Stokes could yet be persuaded to return to limited-overs cricket, having prioritised the longer format during an injury-hit spell.
"In terms of white-ball, why not? We will see where he sits. He loves big moments and big stages but our players can't play everything," McCullum said of Stokes.
"There will be some bilateral series where we can't have all our best players at the same time but when it comes to major events and big series, those players are very much in discussions."
West Indies fast bowler Jayden Seales has been named as one of the three nominees for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for August.
The 22-year-old Trinidadian quick is in the shortlist after finishing with 12 wickets in the series against South Africa including nine in the second Test in Guyana that helped him attain a career-best 13th position in the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings and become the top-ranked bowler in the format from the West Indies.
Part of that nine-wicket match in Guyana was a career best 6-61 in the second innings, his second five-wicket haul in just his 15th Test match.
Seales’ competition for the award will be South African spinner Keshav Maharaj and Sri Lankan all-rounder Dunith Wellalage.
Maharaj, who is in line for a second Player of the Month award after having won earlier in April 2022, was the Player of the Series in the two ICC World Test Championship matches against the West Indies with 13 wickets.
He grabbed four wickets in each innings of the drawn Test in Port of Spain, which included three of the top four batters in the first innings and four of the top five in the second. He chipped in five scalps in the second Test in Guyana that his side won by 40 runs.
Wellalage made it to the men’s shortlist for his performances in ODIs.
The left-hander was Player of the Series in his side’s 2-0 series win over India with scores of 67 not out, 39 and two. He also finished with seven wickets including a haul of five for 27 in the third match.
Defending champions Guyana Amazon Warriors made it two wins in two games with a comfortable 40-run win over St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in match seven of the 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) at Basseterre.
Electing to bat first in rainy conditions could have been seen as a risk but Imran Tahir’s Warriors had no such qualms as they set about posting a sizeable score of 266-7 off their 20 overs. A rope had been dragged around the wet outfield before play began but the showery conditions failed to dampen the Warrior’s run rate.
In fact, Shimron Hetmyer took the ground conditions out of the equation all together by blitzing 11 sixes to all parts of the stadium to rack up 91 runs off just 39 balls. An incredible display of hitting in an innings that didn’t include a single four. It proved to be a decisive knock from Hetmyer who was later awarded Player of the Match.
The Warriors’ total was the second highest in CPL history, just one run behind the score made by the Trinbago Knight Riders against the Jamaica Tallawahs in 2019. The match also had a record for sixes in a CPL match, with 42 Republic Bank Maximums flying out of Warner Park.
In response, Patriots captain Andre Fletcher led by example at the top of the order by compiling 81 off 33 balls but when he was well caught by Dwaine Pretorious off the skiddy spin of Gudakesh Motie in the 13th over the Patriots chase lost its impetus and wickets fell steadily throughout.
A late delay for another rain shower couldn’t save Fletcher’s side as after a short break Pretorious served up the coup de grace by bouncing out Mikyle Louis to seal the win with 12 balls to spare. and condemn the Patriots to their third straight defeat.
Spin proved to be a decisive factor in the high scoring match, with Warriors captain Tahir bowling a pivotal double wicket maiden in the 10th over, outfoxing both Josh Clarkson and Odean Smith in a matter of balls. He ended with three wickets as did Motie with his cunning slow left arm.
The Warriors look a strong outfit with bat and ball as they set about trying to go back-to-back in this year’s CPL while the Patriots will be looking to bounce back against the Barbados Royals on Friday.
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