Red Steel hold off Amazon Warriors for first win
T&T Express
OFF THE MARK
A career best bowling performance from Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel captain Dwayne Bravo, set up his side's first win of this year's Hero Caribbean Premier League at Warner Park in St Kitts, yesterday.
The Red Steel were pushed to their limit before defeating the Guyana Amazon Warriors by three wickets with one ball to spare in a low-scoring thriller.
Bravo grabbed four for 18 as the Amazon Warriors were all out for 118 which seemed to be far short of what they needed. However, the Red Steel chase was far from straight forward as the Guyanese spinners made it very hard for their opponents with the match going down to the last over with the Steel eventually posting 124 for seven with Kevon Cooper hitting Devendra Bishoo for six off a free hit to seal the win.
But it was a brilliant start with the ball from veteran all-rounder, Jacques Kallis, put the Red Steel in charge early on before Bravo took centre stage to finish off the Amazon Warriors.
The Red Steel chase began well enough, with Kallis looking like he would anchor the chase all the way to its conclusion. Delport departed early but Kallis had helped his side knock off half of the required runs before he was well caught by Christopher Barnwell for 20 off 21 balls.
When Darren Bravo departed in the next over it opened the door for the Amazon Warriors but Kamran Akmal quickly slammed it shut on his way to 30 off 17 balls.
Fresh from his brilliant bowling performance, Bravo would have been hoping to be there when the winning runs were knocked off but a perfect Bishoo leg break spun past his outside edge hitting his off stump.
Akmal seemed to be playing on a different pitch from everyone else as he alone seemed to come to terms with the Warner Park surface. Just when he seemed to be under no pressure at all he attempted a cut shot off Bishoo that was juggled but then taken at first slip by Tillakaratne Dilshan.
In the end Red Steel got home with one ball to spare as a Bishoo no ball drew the scores level and the resulting free hit was put away by Cooper.