Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jul 23, 2015 Sports
Winner to face Guyana Amazon Warriors on Saturday
By Sean Devers in Trinidad
In association with Stag Beer,
Bounty Supermarket,
Noble House Seafoods,
Leisure Inn & Payless Varity Store
The Jamaica Tallawahs beat the Guyana Amazon Warriors in Port-of-Spain to take the inaugural Caribbean Premier League (CPL) t20 cricket title in 2013 and tonight at the Queens Park Oval they face the T&T Red Steel for a chance to meet the Warriors in the second semi-final on Saturday.
The winner of Saturday’s game will take on defending Champions Barbados Tridents in Sunday’s CPL finale.
Urged on by what is anticipated to be a full house of close to 20,000 fans, the boys in Red will be wary of the Gayle factor in this important game scheduled to commence at 18:00hrs Eastern Caribbean time.
The Tallawahs finished on nine points and just sneaked into the semi-finals ahead of the St Lucia Zouks due to a better net run rate, while the Red Steel’s victory when their two teams last met in the preliminary round in Trinidad, took 11 points and third place and tonight the battle should be riveting.
The two teams are locked 1-1 in this year’s tournament after the Tallawahs’ 50-run win in Jamaica when the Gayle Force blew the Red Steel away with a destructive 105 from just 57 balls and that will surely be in the back of the Red Steel bowlers tonight.
However, when the teams met again in Carnival Country Jacques Kallis made a responsible unbeaten 61 and Skipper Dwayne Bravo rattled up a 30-ball undefeated 49 to see the Red Steel to 145-3 from 20 overs.
When the Jamaican Franchise replied they lost Gayle for 27. Twenty-six of those runs came in the first over bowled by leg-spinner Samuel Badree, while Andre Russell with 30 from 22 balls was the only other batsman to reach 15 as the Tallawahs crashed to 139-9.
But the Red Steel fans will know that if they can get Gayle, who has the most runs in this year’s CPL (400), early the rest of the batting is likely to crumble. They should have also learned that you don’t bowl spinners who turn the ball into the big-hitting left-hander, who also has the most sixes in the 2015 competition, since although he is vulnerable to balls turning away from him, leg-spinners bowling to Gayle will disappear into the stands.
Suleiman Benn, Badree and Deron Davis all turn the ball into Gayle while in off-spinner Johan Botha, veteran Kallis and Dwayne Bravo, who has the most wickets (21) they have bowlers capable of restricting Gayle.
But as Gayle himself says it should not be all about Chris Gayle and the others need to step up if he fails. Chadwick Walton, Jermaine Blackwood, Chris Lynn and Narsingh Deonarine are all capable of contributing with the bat while Rusty Theron, Daniel Vettori, Jerome Taylor, Krishmar Santokie and Andre Russell are all competent with the ball.
The Red Steel’s batting rests heavily on the experience of the 38-year Kallis, the talented but inconsistent Darren Bravo, his brother Dwayne, Cameron Delport, Kamran Akmal and Botha.
Yesterday it was hot and sunny and the pitch should be much better for stroke play than the one at Providence while the toss could also be important.
Where is the BETTER MANAGEMENT/RENEGOTIATION OF THE OIL CONTRACTS you promised Jagdeo?
Apr 19, 2024
SportsMax – West Indies Women’s captain Hayley Matthews delivered a stellar all-round performance to lead her team to a commanding 113-run victory over Pakistan Women in the first One Day...Kaieteur News – For years, the disciples of Bharrat Jagdeo have woven a narrative of economic success during his tenure... more
By Sir Ronald Sanders Waterfalls Magazine – On April 10, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States... more
Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]