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.

In Group C, Zimbabwe U-19s achieved the biggest margin of victory so far in the tournament, a massive 228 run win over Papua New Guinea U-19s in Port of Spain.

After Zimbabwe won the toss and batted first, captain Emmanuel Bawa scored one of two centuries on the day, an even 100 off 95 balls to help Zimbabwe post a formidable 321-9 off their 50 overs.

Papua New Guinea were no match for the Zimbabwean bowlers, being skittled out for 93 in 35 overs.

Victor Chirwa was the pick of the Zimbabwean bowlers with 2-11 from seven overs while Brian Bennett (2-20 from 6 overs) and Ngenyasha Zvinoera (2-25 from 6 overs) also had good spells.

In the lone Group A match on Saturday, UAE U-19s beat Canada U-19s by 49 runs in a competitive game in Basseterre.

UAE U-19s won the toss and batted first, making 284-7 off their 50 overs thanks to half-centuries from Punya Mehra (71) and Ali Naseer (73).

Gurnek Singh took 2-38 off seven overs for Canada U-19s.

A well-played 96 from captain Mihir Patel wasn’t enough for Canada U-19s to successfully chase their target, eventually finishing 235 all out off 46.4 overs.

Anoop Chima (46) and Kairav Sharma (43) also got runs for Canada U-19s against 2-32 from eight overs from Nilansh Keswani.

Adhitya Shetty, Jash Giyanani and Alishan Sharafu also got two wickets each for UAE U-19s.

In the first of two Group B matches on Saturday, Ireland U-19s Joshua Cox was the day’s second centurion as his 111 not out helped them secure a 39-run win over Uganda U-19s in Georgetown.

Uganda U-19s won the toss and elected to field first, a decision that proved costly in the end as Ireland were able to get a score of 236-9 off their 50 overs with Cox getting the most support from Phillipus le Roux who made 32.

Juma Miyaji, captain Pascal Muringi, Joseph Baguma and Matthew Musinguzi all took two wickets each for the Ugandans.

Murungi then top scored with 63 and Miyaji also contributed 38 but it wasn’t enough as Ireland restricted them to 197 all out off 48.1 overs to seal the win.

Matthew Humphreys was the pick of the Irish bowlers with 4-25 off his 10 overs.

India U-19s secured a 45-run win over South Africa U-19s in Georgetown in the other Group B clash.

South Africa U-19s won the toss and elected to field first, a decision which looked like the right one as they were able to pick up early wickets thanks to good bowling by left-arm pacer Aphiwe Mnyanda.

India got on the right track, however, and used innings from captain Yash Dhull (82), Kaushal Tambe (35) and Shaik Rasheed (31) to recover to 232 all out in 46.5 overs.

Matthew Boast led the South African bowlers with 3-40 off nine overs while Mnyanda took 2-29 from five.

A stroke-filled 65 from Dewald Brevis and a solid 36 from captain George Van Heerden proved to be insufficient as South Africa lost wickets in quick succession before eventually being bowled out for 187 in 45.4 overs.

Vicky Ostval was the chief destroyer for the Indians with a brilliant 5-28 off his 10 overs while Raj Bawa supported him with 4-47 from 6.4 overs.